


15 plus 35 equals 4

by twinswrite (orphan_account)



Series: Dribs and Drabs [1]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:58:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 20,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4954318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/twinswrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shots and drabbles about the 15ers, the 35ers and the rest of the National team family. Basically a spot where the 35er universe lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hadley Grace

**Author's Note:**

> Unedited. Just quick oneshots so any and all mistakes are mine. Feedback is always great.  
> Find us now at twinswriteuswnt on Tumblr

“Babe?” Julie looked up from her book, expecting her wife to be back by her side.

Christen had gone upstairs to put their daughter to bed almost thirty minutes ago. Typically their kid dozed off after downing a bottle and clutching her precious blankey to her face. She was a pretty routinized girl, that Hadley Grace.

JJ took one last sip of her wine, set her book on the couch and quietly headed upstairs in search of her best friend.

Of course, Christen was right where she predicted.

Through the cracked door, the former defender studied her wife. Christen was leaning against the dark oak wood crib, humming an unidentifiable tune. One hand was in the crib, no doubt stroking the bridge of the toddler’s nose. That was one of Hadley’s weird quirks. She never fully succumbed to sleep until one of her mom’s stroked her nose.

Not able to stand being left out of the Hadley love fest, Julie pushed the door open and padded over to her wife.

“If you stare at her any longer you’re going to burn a hole in her face” Julie murmured, wrapping her hands around Christen’s waist and kissing the back of her neck.

Press let out a soft chuckle before turning around in her wife’s grip so that they were hugging. They stood there for a moment, letting the warm glow of a night light cascade around them, watching their small human in a crib.

Hadley Press-Johnston, with her almost white blonde hair and smattering of freckles across her nose, snored lightly in her bed with a bright yellow blanket tightly grasped in her fist.

“I can’t believe we caved and let Kelley buy her that ridiculous onesie” Julie whispered, brushing a strand of her daughter’s hair away from her face.

Kelley had a Christmas tradition of buying each one of her unofficial nieces and nephews’ onesies with her face on it saying “I get my awesomeness from my Auntie Kelley.” As they got older onesies turned into t-shirts and every time a new baby was born into the 15er family, a group shot of all the kids wearing their Auntie Kelley apparel was taken. It was equal parts ridiculous and adorable.

“I just can’t believe she’s not coming,” Christen choked back tears “it’s our first trip away from her.”

JJ pressed a kiss to her wife’s forehead. They were still hesitant about going on the annual vacation with the team. Hadley was barely two and it still felt like she was going to grow up without them. Having Hadley away at daycare while her moms were coaching or writing for magazines at the office, made Christen and Julie slightly depressed.

“I know babe, but she’ll be with my parents. She’ll be fine. We’ll skype with them every day and then we’ll be back before you know it.”

The brunette nodded, Jules was right. It was only for two weeks. Maybe this trip would do them well, a few days without having to change a diaper or wait through a screaming meltdown would be amazing. Perhaps Chris and Jules would actually go out on a date instead of another Netflix marathon where they ended up falling asleep by eight.

It was weird, how their lives had changed so drastically in the course of two years. Before Hadley, Saturday nights were filled with staying out until the early hours of the morning with Meghan and Morgan. Sundays were for nursing hangovers caused by two am karaoke and bottomless whiskey gingers.

Now Saturdays were spent at the park and staying up past nine pm was rare. Sundays started at six in the morning by a little girl in Chicago Cubs pajamas babbling to herself through a baby monitor.

With one last kiss and a murmured “we love you,” Christen and Julie quietly walked out of their daughter’s room and shut the door behind them.

Sure, they weren’t wild soccer stars anymore but Christen and Julie didn’t mind. They were the exhausted mamas of the cutest girl in the world and that was enough.


	2. Meghan and Logan Klingenberg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what this is. But I do know that it's sappy and cute and if that's your jam, here ya go.

When Meghan told Logan that they were going on a trip to finally meet her aunts, the six year old was stoked. She had never met the group of women that her adopted mom spent so much time talking to on the phone and facetiming. It’s not like they fell out of touch, it was just that everyone’s lives were so busy the team hadn’t gotten around to getting together after Logan was officially adopted. But as the departure date grew near, Logan felt herself fill with anxiety and the fear that not everything was going to turn out like she expected.

“What if they don’t like me?” Logan burst out from the back seat.

Kling gave her daughter a confused look through the rear view mirror, turning onto the I-5.

“What if who doesn’t like you?”

Logan fidgeted with the arm rest of her booster seat. She was slightly embarrassed for being this nervous.

“Your team” she said quietly.

Meghan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. So this was the reason why the typically chatty six year old had barely said two words since arriving in Seattle. The former defender stayed quiet for a few moments, navigating the rental car through the narrow roads leading to Hope and Kelley’s lakefront home. Once she found the address and pulled into the winding driveway, Meghan killed the engine and turned around in the driver’s seat, facing her kid.

Logan’s blue eyes were moist and filled with fear. It broke Kling’s heart to see her sassy kid so distraught.

“Why do you think they wouldn’t like you?”

Logan shrugged, trying to choke back her tears.

“Because I’m adopted and I haven’t known them for forever like the other kids and I’m just different.”

“Listen,” Kling put a hand on Logan’s knee “biological or not, you’re my kid and they’re going to love you almost as much as I do”

Logan sniffed, some of the anxiety being displaced “Yeah?”

 “Oh yeah” Meghan agreed somberly “besides, you’ve met Aunt Morgan and she likes you right?”

“Right”

“And everyone sent you gifts for your birthday last month right?”

The little girl nodded slowly “Yeah”

“So you don’t have any reason to be nervous babe and if they don’t like you, I’ll fight ‘em” Kling shrugged.

Logan let out a laugh. Visualizing her tiny mom fighting tall soccer players was pretty hilarious in the six year old’s mind.

Seeing her daughter smile, Meghan took that as her cue to exit the car.

“Ready kid?” Kling raised an eyebrow

“Ready” small hands deftly unbuckled her harness and hopped out of the car.

Hand in hand, the mother daughter pair walked to the front door. With each step the noise of kids running around, meat sizzling on the grill and adults erupting in laughing grew louder. It was Kling’s turn to be nervous, all the progress they made in the car seemed to be for naught. Logan was curling into herself, leaning heavily on her mom’s hand for support; trying to shrink herself so she was invisible.

“It’s going to be fun Lo” Meghan squeezed her kid’s hand twice before ringing the doorbell.

Logan heard the high-pitched voice of a teenage girl holler through the house. She froze as the heavy oak door swung open.

“I GOT IT” the voice personified into a seventeen year old girl “AUNT MEGHAN”

“Hey Chloe!” never letting go of her daughter’s hand, Kling wrapped her free arm around the girl.

Logan studied Chloe. Chloe was tall, almost towering over her mom. Her face was covered in freckles and Chlo’s green eyes had a confident spark that intrigued the first grader.  In less than four seconds, Logan decided she liked Chloe and allowed herself to relax around the girl.

“Clover,” Meghan prodded her niece “wanna introduce yourself?”

Chloe gave Logan a crooked smile and gave a little wave.

“Hi Logan, I’m your cousin Chloe. It’s nice to _finally_ meet you. Can I give you a hug?”

Logan timidly nodded. While Chloe grabbed the smaller girl in an embrace, Kling gave the high school junior a look over Logan’s shoulder. Chloe O’Hara-Solo had never been this polite in her seventeen years on this earth. She wasn’t rude by any means; the kid just forgot about personal boundaries and figured everyone just knew her name like they knew her mother’s.

“How much money do you want? You’re never this polite unless you want something.”

Chloe rolled her eyes, taking Logan’s hand and pulling the girl inside.

“So funny Aunt Kling, come on Logan”

Meghan watched amusedly as Chloe pulled her daughter through the throngs of people, introducing her to the aunts as well as the pack of 15er girls they affectionately called “The Tribe of Five.”

“KLING” Tobin Heath yelled from her spot at the counter, prompting the rest of the house to cheer in response to their tiny defender’s arrival.

Meghan grinned, setting her coat on the hook and walking to the kitchen where the team was gathered. Everybody was gathered around two large dining tables drinking various beverages and reminiscing about college days.

Their nostalgia was fitting, considering the entire reason they were gathered together, aside from missing the shit out of each other, was to celebrate and reveal which universities Hallie, Chloe and Vanessa had decided to sign with.

“Hiya Klingy,” Pinoe slipped a beer into her hand

“Oooo thanks Pinoe. Hi Keegs” Meghan bent down level to the little girl with white blonde hair, clinging to Megan’s leg.

Keagan Rapinoe blushed, burying her face into her mom’s thigh. The women laughed, knowing that in five minutes Keagan would be holding court with her cousins, hamming it up.

After poking her head into the backyard to say hello to Cap, Abby and her son Hudson, HAO, Carli, Lauren and Becky who were all quite tuned into the mini talent show that twins Emma and Katie Holiday were giving, Meghan entered back into the kitchen.

“Solo, where’s your wife?” Kling looked around the room for Kelley

Hope waved her hand in the direction of the stairs.

“She, Ali and Syd are off making calls to their families about which schools the girls committed to”

“I missed University reveal? Damn it, what schools are we going to this year?”

“Double trouble committed to Stanford and Queen V is headed to USC” 

The defender and Hope shared a look of amusement. Vanessa Dwyer’s sole mission in life was to piss off her mother. The latest blow came in the form of committing to Syd’s rival school of USC. While it infuriated Sydney, the rest of the team got a huge kick out of Vanessa's antics.

Kling took a drink from her beer and sat in a chair between a very pregnant Julie Press-Johnston and Morgan Brian.

“Hey dude” Meghan nudged Moe.

Moe returned the shoulder shove and looked around her friend.

“Where’s Kid Kling?”

“Chloe” was all Meghan had to say for Morgan to get the gist.

Meghan caught up with Julie and Christen who were expecting their first baby, a girl, by the end of the month. Ashlyn, who sat across the table, recapped on the happenings of her older boys while Tobin and Alex updated the family on Kellan’s freshman year at Duke.

During a pretty intriguing tale about the oldest Harris-Krieger son running off to LA, Kling couldn’t help but sneak a glance around the room for her kid. What she saw made Kling’s tiny heart grow about ten sizes.

Chloe, Hallie and Vanessa had Logan sitting on the counter so she was facing the trio perched on barstools. The girls were taking turns telling their newest cousin a wild story about some trip they had taken a few years back where absolutely everything went wrong. Logan was in stiches. The little girl was laughing so hard that Kling was convinced her kid was going to throw up.

If there was any one moment that Meghan Klingenberg felt inexplicable gratitude towards her teammates it would be that one. Without hesitation, her honorary nieces and nephews had taken it upon themselves to welcome this scared little girl into their lives like she had been there since the beginning. They didn’t happen to be gracious and accepting. They had amazing parents who taught them that no matter who came into their lives, they treated them like family.

For that, Meghan was eternally grateful and a little teary eyed.

“Oh my God Kling why are you crying?” Morgan whispered alarmingly into her best friend’s ear.

Kling hastily wiped her eyes and took a long pull from her beer. She may have been a mom but she was still a tiny badass.

“Allergies”

“It’s October,”

“ALLERGIES MORGAN”

Moe let out a laugh, turning her head to see what made Meghan tear up. When Morgan saw the older girls pointing around the room, explaining personalities and how Logan was related to each family member, she felt herself getting a little worked up too. Her teammates raised a good group of kids. She hoped that one day her own would be just as accepted and loved as Logan was.

“Damn Klingy,” Morgan teased, tears springing into her own eyes “motherhood’s made you soft.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a time we shared together. But enough with the sap, ready for angst sometime this weekend? I AM BECAUSE I AM A SLUT FOR SUFFERING.  
> Yell at me about the USWNT at twinswrite.tumblr.com.


	3. Hallie Blaire: Preschool graduate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lil Hallie graduates from preschool and Ali's emotional

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of feelings about tiny 35ers. They're cute as shit.

Sometimes Ali didn’t believe that her life was actually her life. More often than not, the former defender felt like physically pinching herself because there was no way that her life had become this perfect.

Ten years had gone by in a heartbeat. It seemed like five minutes ago Ali had accidentally kissed Ashlyn and may have accidentally told her that she loved her. Within the next four minutes, Ashlyn had proposed during a dinner at her parents’ house, they bought a house and made the decision to bring a couple tiny humans into the world.

Now, in present time, Ali was sitting in a hard metal chair among one hundred eager preschool parents awaiting the graduation ceremony. Sitting down the row were Heather and Dave, Tobin and Alex, Whitney and Ryan, who had his camera at the ready. Soon the lights dimmed and a rousing nursery rhyme began playing while fifty five year olds in royal blue gowns and mortar boards clumsily made their way to their assigned seats.

“Oh my God, she’s so freaking cute” HAO whispered excitedly in Ali’s ear and squeezed her arm when a tiny brown haired girl with brilliant hazel eyes graced the stage.

Ali nodded and pulled out her phone to snap a few photos. Her daughter’s lightly freckled face was serious, observing the scene and exuding confidence in her stoicism. After the song, the children were seated and their teacher began her speech. About halfway through the riveting story of the big field trip to their future kindergarten classrooms, Ali turned and studied the obsessive parent to her right.

If there was a contest for the most proud father, Ashlyn Harris would have swept the competition. The respected athlete was wearing a white t-shirt with their daughter’s face printed on it and had her camera out to film the entire program.

It didn’t surprise Ali at all.

She knew even before they discussed having a child that Ashlyn would go above and beyond the normal supportive parent guidelines. Everything was treated with importance, no small deed or event went unnoticed in the Harris-Krieger household. Just last week Hallie had her first dance lesson and Ashlyn had filmed their daughter shuffling around the house in her leotard and tutu. When their oldest son Kyle first learned to surf, Ashlyn had set up a Go-Pro on his toddler surfboard in order to capture the entire ordeal. Then when Cooper wanted to wear his first suit, at the tender age of four, Ashlyn had taken the boy out for an afternoon of custom tailoring. 

It was slightly ridiculous but Ali couldn't have loved her wife more for it. 

“Did you leave the foam finger at home?” Ali whispered teasingly in Ashlyn’s ear.

“No, but I did forget the poster board.” Ashlyn responded without taking an eye off of her daughter. Ali rolled her eyes and squeezed Ashlyn’s hand before refocusing. The principle, an scruffy older man with a terrible plaid jacket on, coughed once into the microphone and in his rough voice presented each child.

“Hallie Harris-Krieger”

HAO wolf whistled, Tobin hollered, Whitney and Alex caught the moment on camera but nobody cheered louder than Ashlyn Harris.

“THAT’S MY GIRL!” Ashlyn’s snapback almost flew off her head with how fast she stood up and fist pumped as her tiny daughter skipped up to the podium in black flats that matched Ali’s.  Hallie took her diploma and waved it around while posing mid stage, beaming with her two bottom teeth missing. Ali shook her head in amusement and signaled for the child to stop hamming it up and sit back in her seat.

Hallie caught her mother’s warning glance, threw one more over the shoulder killer smile and bounced back to her chair where she wiggled and squirmed until the ceremony was over. Twenty minutes later, the group of best friends waited for their favorite preschool graduate in the late spring sun, discussing the intricacies of parenthood.

“When I was pregnant with the twins, I shit you not, we had sex every night.” HAO nonchalantly stated while Dave nodded absentmindedly in agreement behind her.

"Ew" Tobin turned red, using HAO’s statement as an excuse to remove herself from the adults and chase her own six year old daughter around.

Alex rolled her eyes “Oh my God HAO, there are children around.”

“Are you serious?” Whitney was only slightly horrified but mostly used to the explicit details of her teammate’s pregnancy. After watching both of her best friends’ birth their children, Whit had become an expert on the most disgusting parts of prenatal care.

“Oh my God, but like, doesn’t that, like, you know? _Hurt_ them?” an embarrassed Ryan instinctively moved one hand to the small of Whit’s back and another slid protectively across the small but visible bump.

“That’s a myth,” Ashlyn interjected “if it was true, Hallie would have brain damage.”

 “Why would I have brain damage?” a small hand tugged at the hem of Ashlyn’s shirt.

While their friends erupted into a fit of laughter and groans, Ali’s jaw dropped. Of course their five year old daughter, who never missed a beat, would overhear one of their more descriptive conversations. Ashlyn snapped her neck towards the voice and tried to cover her ass.

“It’s nothing baby, but I am so proud of you!” she picked up the lightweight child, peppering her face in kisses and hugged her tightly before settling her on her hip. Everyone congratulated the girl on her academic success and the youngest member of their family was eating up all of their praise.

Seven year old Kaitlan gave her little friend a high five before running off to rough house with her twin brother and the Harris-Krieger boys.

 “Good job Hallie” six year old Kellan offered up a fist pound to her younger god-sister from her perch on Tobin’s back.

“Thanks Kell! Mama,” Hallie squirmed in Ashlyn’s grip to face Ali “Mama did you see that I didn’t even try to touch my hair?”

Ali laughed and kissed the little girl’s forehead. Ali had braided Hal’s bangs and pinned them just off to the side of the little girl’s hair. Ali and Ashlyn had given the five year old explicit instructions to keep her hands out of her hair. Hallie was notorious for running her nervous fingers through her chestnut waves and undoing whatever hairstyle Ali had given her.

“Yes I did and I’m very proud of you. You did so well little girl.”

Ashlyn set their daughter down with one last kiss and suggested that the group go out for dinner in order to celebrate. The soccer family agreed, wrangled the rest of their kids and all moved in the direction of the parking lot. Mid stride Hallie reached out for both of her mother’s hands and grabbed both of them, pulling the two women closer to her. Ali and Ashlyn looked at each other over their child’s head, eyes sharing a million thoughts but both wholeheartedly in love with the little girl who was pulling them towards their next adventure.

 


	4. Vanessa Dwyer: Detective.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr prompt: "Can you write about Vanessa's interview with hallie I feel like it would be interesting"

“What are your intentions with Kellan?” Vanessa wasted no time in getting down to the purpose of her coffee date with Hallie. 

The girls were back in the States, enjoying their last precious week off before reporting to camp, crammed into Chloe and Hallie’s shared apartment on Capitol Hill. 

Vanessa and Hallie had offered to go ahead of the other three to a local coffee shop to grab a table and order breakfast so the others could take their time getting ready. 

“Seriously V,” Hallie sipped her americano “you’re giving  _me_  the third degree?”

The forward shrugged and adjusted her posture, sitting at straight as she could. For being five feet and five inches Vanessa could make herself take up an entire room. She may be little but her ego was massive. 

“You may be like my sister but not even you can escape the V test.”

Hal rolled her eyes and surrendered. “Okay, lay it on me”

Vanessa gave her friend a smug grin and pulled out a small moleskin and a pen. She turned to a well worn page filled with questions Vanessa had complied for potential Kellan suitors over the years. 

“Basic information?”

“Hallie Blaire Harris-Krieger, twenty-one born on January twenty-third.”

“College and degree earned?” 

“Are you kidding-”

Vanessa looked up from the notebook and pointed the pen in Hallie’s face. 

“I ask the questions Chip”

“ _Jesus_ , fine, Stanford University and I just graduated with a degree in Film and a minor in German and a three point five. Happy?”

“Thank you” 

Vanessa and Hallie fired back and forth, answering and asking questions ranging from how many people Hallie had slept with to what genetic diseases ran through her family. 

Fifteen minutes later, Vanessa finally put away her notebook and pen, satisfied with Hallie’s cooperation. Even though Vanessa hadn’t really wanted to interview Hal, after all Hallie was basically her sister, she still felt that a procedure still had to be followed. 

Seeing V put away that fucking notebook caused the biggest wave of relief to wash over Hallie. Over the years Hal had heard horror stories of girls not passing Vanessa’s interrogation and hadn’t really believed them. Until today, when fifteen minutes of constant grilling felt like an eternity. 

“I have one last question,” Vanessa looked over Hallie’s head, seeing a sweatsuit clad Chloe stumble into the building with Kellan and KAO at her heels. 

“Yes?”

V waved to the trio, beckoning them over to the table before asking the most important question. 

“Why Kellan?”

Hallie felt a smile creep over her face as the familiar sensation of arms wrapping around her shoulders from behind and a soft kiss pressed to the top of her head.

“Because why not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I love Vanessa.   
> Come join the absolute fuckery going on over at twinswriteuswnt on tumblr.


	5. Boo Boos Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some nice human on Tumblr asked for a Syd and V one shot. SO HERE YOU GO KIDDO.

“Where are you two going?” Syd eyed her husband and six year old son in matching Royals t-shirts and jeans, attempt to sneak out of the front door. 

Syd and eleven year old Vanessa had been cuddled on the couch, watching Chopped and eating breakfast when the boys caused a minor disruption. 

Dom put his hands on his son’s shoulders and shrugged.

“We’re going to go have a Lad’s Day and go watch the Royals game.”

DJ, with his gap toothed grin and charming smile, nodded vigorously at his mother. Syd couldn’t help but smile at her son. He was so much like his Dad, with his sweet brown eyes and irresistible smirk.  

“Yeah Mom, we’re gonna go have a Lads Day.” the little boy then pointed to his big sister “No girls allowed”

The fifth grader rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out, slightly jealous that DJ got to go on a special day date with one of their parents. 

“I don’t want to go on your dumb lads day anyway”

“Yeah,” Syd piped up, an idea forming in her head “we’re going to go have a Boo Boos day. Which is way better than any Lads day”

The mother of two knew her idea was the perfect one because Syd couldn’t have missed the way her daughter’s eyes lit up with the possibility of spending an entire day with her mom. 

Vanessa jumped up, launching herself off of the couch in order to dance in circles around her father and brother. 

“Boo boos day, Boo boos daaaaay with zero stupid boys”

Dom laughed and swept Vanessa off of her feet and cradled her like she was an infant again. He tickled her sides and pressed kisses to his princess’s face. 

DJ, not wanting to feel left out, ran to Syd and threw his arms around her neck. She picked up her little man and carried him over to Dom. 

“I have a better idea,” Dom positioned Vanessa so she was strapped to his chest like a monkey “What if the lads take the ladies on a date day? Lunch and then a trip to the Zoo?”

Vanessa and Sydney exchanged a few glances, silently discussing their options. When they reached a consensus, Vanessa hopped off her father and grabbed her mother’s hand, leading her away from the boys. 

“Boo Boos day sounds much better.” 

Dom felt his jaw drop, he just got shut down by an eleven year old. 

Sydney only shrugged and blew her boys a kiss “Sorry boys, girls only.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some thoughts, feelings, questions or concerns? Go to twinswriteuswnt.tumblr.com for more fuckery and shenanigans.


	6. Her History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe O'Hara-Solo plays in Wembley for the first time and it gets a little emotional.

Hope had told Chloe the story a million times. The story of how the 2012 Olympics meant so much to them. How  _Wembley_ specifically, meant so much to them.

Chloe had spent numerous nights staying awake after two kisses were pressed to her forehead by the two humans she loved most, imagining gold confetti raining down from the rafters of the hallowed pitch and her parents in the box, crying tears of joy among the bright shine of the lights and the glint of the new diamond on Kelley’s hand. 

Even though the twenty year old could envision the grass, torn up by cleats and slightly damp from the rain, Chloe hadn’t actually been inside of Wembley until today. 

Honestly Chloe was surprised she made it through practice without losing focus. There was so much history, soccer and Chloe related, around her. It took everything she had to pay attention to Kellan and Vanessa drilling balls at her.

Now, after the team had cleared out and headed to their hotel across the street, Chloe opted to stay behind and kick a ball around the pitch, slowly making her way to the exact spot Hope proposed to Kelley so many years ago. 

The young keeper made it to the top of the 18′ and just stood still. Chloe closed her eyes, inhaling the sweet smell of grass and the lingering scent of twenty-five soccer players running drills for hours. 

“Take two steps to the right babe.”

Chloe’s eyes snapped open and she whipped her head around to see Hope walking towards her. 

“What?”

Hope smiled and put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders, shifting her two steps to Chloe’s right towards the north end of the stadium. 

“Right,” 

One more step

“Here. Is where I proposed to your Mama.”

They were both speechless, for Hope and Chloe this spot meant the beginning of the rest of their lives. The mother and daughter stood together, arms wrapped around each other, breathing in the memories and letting Wembley consume them. 

Wembley was her mothers’ favorite place and it was quickly becoming Chloe’s.


	7. Their future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: "Can you pretty please write a one shot of future Hallie and Kellan?"  
> Yes, yes we can.

“Do we have to go have dinner with our parents?” Kellan complained from her blanket fort in the living room of the small Orlando apartment. 

Hallie, who had been getting ready for the last hour while her fiance watched the Duke-UNC basketball game, nodded while putting in a small diamond earring. 

Alex, Tobin, Ali and Ashlyn had made it out to DC for the weekend to watch their daughters play in their first game for the Orlando Pride. Kellan and Hallie had been traded from the Thorns and the Reign respectively in the expansion draft to welcome in the new California club, Real Los Angeles. 

It was ironic, two childhood best friends who had grown up in Orlando only to find themselves back, this time as a couple, to the place where it all began. 

“Unless you want them to find out that we’re engaged via the Instagram I’m going to post later” 

Kellan turned her attention away from the TV, a horrified expression on her face, and looked at Hallie. 

“You wouldn’t dare. You  _know_  both our moms would murder us.” 

“Try me.” hazel eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. 

The forward grumbled her concession and began to remove herself from the nest of blankets she had built for herself. Hallie watched in amusement from the hallway as Kellan, in her hole ridden and clearly worn out Duke sweats, shuffled from the couch and towards Hallie . 

“I can’t believe you’re making me put on pants for our parents. This is unfair, an injustice really” 

“You’re an actual child.” Hallie rolled her eyes, ignoring Kellan’s pout. 

Green eyes stared back at her, suddenly softening as Kellan took Hallie’s hands and pulled her closely. 

Kellan allowed her gaze to linger over Hallie’s body. Her girlfriend- _shit her fiance-_  was hot, there was clearly no denying that. Hallie wore a simple black sundress with lace trim that fell just at mid thigh. Hal’s freckles stood out, a result of only wearing mascara in addition to the Florida tan that had recently graced her skin. 

She admired the way the dress hugged her fiance’s curves and how the pearl white statement necklace, one Kellan had bought for her on a trip to Spain last summer, brought out Hallie’s eyes. 

Not able to handle herself anymore, Kellen pressed her lips to Hallie’s completely entranced by the softness of her lips and the lingering taste of the white wine they had with lunch. 

“We’re going to be late Kell,” Hallie murmured, a small shiver running up her spine when Kellan moved from her mouth to leave a trail of small bite marks along her neck. 

“Or we could just not go”

Hal genuinely entertained the thought of not attending another family dinner. God knows the two women had been to a million of them growing up. 

But then Kellan’s hands moved from their place at the top of Hallie’s waist, down to play with the hemline of her dress, slowly inching the fabric higher and higher. 

_Fuck it._

They were twenty minutes late to dinner because Orlando traffic at four-thirty was especially heavy. Mothers humored their daughters, ignoring the newly formed hickey on Kellan’s pulse point or the scratch marks on the back of Hallie’s neck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dork children falling in love. TOO CUTE.  
> twinswriteuswnt.tumblr.com


	8. An American in Munich

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaitlan Werry, All-American kid, is lovesick for a certain German forward.

“Okay,” Hallie pushed the list across the small table “let’s go through this one more time.”

KAO rolled her eyes, heaving an obnoxious sigh as she picked up the worn piece of paper again.

Kaitlan had been in Germany for less than a week and Hallie was already grilling her. The German Goddess was concerned about Kaitlan’s ability to understand commands in the country’s native tongue, insisting that Coach Muller wasn’t going to allow English on her prestigious Bayern powerhouse.

“Hal, I don’t need to be fluent. We can’t all be the daughter of a warrior princess.”

The midfielder shot her friend a glare and shook her head.

“We’re in Germany, you gorgeous piece of American trash. The least you could do is learn a _little_ bit of the language.”

Hallie grabbed the paper from Kait’s hands, earning a whimper of protest in return. KAO watched hazel eyes scan over the paper before looking up and taking Kaitlan’s gaze head on.

“ _Mann auf”_

“Man on”

“Good, _bis spater”_

“See you later” Kaitlan grumbled, putting her head in her hands. She was completely over Hallie’s little lesson.

Hallie, sensing how done her friend was, decided to pull something out of her back pocket that she had been _dying_ to use since Kaitlan stepped foot onto the Bayern pitch that afternoon.

“ _Ich bin in der Liebe mit Ana”_

The older girl dropped her hands at the mention of the name. Hal’s eyes met Kaitlan’s with a smug grin plastered on her face, encouraging Kait to challenge her.

“What?”

Hallie leaned across the table so that her nose was almost touching her companion’s. Kaitlan watched chapped lips slowly repeat the phrase in her second tongue.

“ _Ich bin, in der, liebe, mit Ana”_

_You're in love with Ana._

“No I am not.” Kait matched Hallie’s stare with her jaw clenched tightly together.

Who was Kaitlan kidding? Of course she was in love with Ana Sasic.

Who wouldn’t be in love with her?

At twenty-five years old, the daughter of German legend Celia Sasic was a force to be reckoned with on the National stage. She had blazing speed, beautiful footwork that even the most veteran players wished they possessed and a command of the game most athletes could only dream of having.

Ana was everything Kaitlan wanted to be.

And it also didn’t help that Ana was absolutely gorgeous. With green eyes set ablaze with determination, dark skin that KAO swore she could melt into and not to mention legs that put even Hallie’s to shame.

“Look me in the eye and say that Kait” Hallie softened her tone.

Kaitlan shook her head, admitting defeat as she slumped back into the dining room table in their shared apartment. She couldn’t do it. Kaitlan Breanne Werry, All-American Tarheel, was in love with Germany’s princess and there was nothing she could do about it.

“I’ve only played with her for two hours Hal, and I’m already obsessed with her. Like I passed up an opportunity to send a perfectly on frame screamer, just so I could assist Ana on that sleeper.” Kaitlan pushed off from the table, standing up and pacing around the kitchen.

Hallie watched with amusement while KAO stormed around, throwing together a sandwich haphazardly in her lovesick angst.

“Like, who _does that_ Hallie?”

A peanut butter jar slammed against the counter.

“I mean, sure, I’ve played against her for years but _god damn_ playing WITH her is unreal”

Jelly was angrily smeared onto whole grain bread, tearing a piece of the bread with KAO’s forceful strokes.

Hallie attempted to stifle a giggle, but failed miserably when her giggle turned into a full belly laugh at the sight of Kaitlan taking a forceful bite of her sandwich while sinking down to sit on the floor. KAO emitted exaggerated groans and sighs through bites of her snack.

Kaitlan Werry was in serious like and it was fucking hilarious.

Hal got up from her chair at the table, taking about three steps to join her best friend on the floor. The redhead leaned into the brunette’s body, resting her head on Hal’s shoulder.

Kaitlan hadn’t become this unglued since they were kids and frankly it freaked Hallie out. KAO was the rock in their little tribe. She breathed logic into whatever meaningless argument the four other girls were involved in. It was Kaitlan that each girl went to when a significant other was giving them grief because KAO just _knew_ what to do.

When the roles were reversed life felt off kilter but Hallie wanted to repay Kaitlan back for every time she had called the forward crying about something stupid Kellan had said. This was her moment to shine and Hallie would be damned if she let it go to waste.

So Hallie quickly brought out her phone and made a call to Natalie Mittag, badass forward and Hallie’s closest friend on the Bayern team.

Kaitlan watched Hallie slip into an effortless conversation in her second language with both awe and confusion. KAO finished her sandwich by the time Hallie got off the phone and met her friend with a raised eyebrow and a devious glimmer in her eye.

“Who was that and what were you plotting?”

Hallie got up and shrugged, casually getting herself a glass of wine. Kaitlan crossed her arms, completely unamused at the younger girl’s antics.

“That was Nat,” Hal sipped her wine for effect “and we’re going to get you and Ana together if it kills us.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS WE'RE GETTING SHIT DONE. BECAUSE WE'RE APPLYING OURSELVES. HOLY SHIT.   
> But our ask box is now open over at twinswriteuswnt on tumblr. And we're literally writing all day because finals are over and there is a God who loves us. 
> 
> Enjoy babes!


	9. Payton O'Hara-Solo: Actual Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick little drabble about obnoxious little sister Payton O'Hara-Solo

“Chlo, what are you doing?” Payton questioned from her place at the kitchen counter where she was doing her homework.

Chloe, fifteen years old and full of teenage rebellion, hobbled her way through the kitchen trying to be as quiet as possible. Her soccer bag swung from one arm while the other tried to guide her gimp leg to the stool next to her little sister.

Once the sweats clad teen got to the counter, she hopped up onto the stool and took a moment to catch her breath. The metal and cloth brace was a lot harder to move around with than Chloe anticipated.

“It’s three forty-five. I’m going to practice, what else would I be doing?” the older O’Hara-Solo sister swiped a piece of cheese from the youngers snack plate.

“You can barely walk by yourself” the ten year old raised an eyebrow “did Mama say you could?”

“Lil Mama’s on the phone with Big Momma, she’ll never know I was gone,”

Payton heaved a sigh; of course her big sister was trying to pull another fast one on their parents.

 Almost a week ago Chloe had misread a shot on goal, landed incorrectly and messed up her knee pretty badly. The doctor had told Chloe and their parents that she had torn a few minor ligaments in her leg, forcing the young keeper to sit out for at least two weeks while her knee healed.

Kelley had been on Chloe’s ass for the last few days, not allowing her to do anything more strenuous than her physical therapy exercises and crutching around the house and school. At first it had been great, getting a couple days off from practice and having her Mama dote on her.

But now Kelley was driving her daughter insane with the coddling.

Chloe could barely walk down the stairs without Kelley breathing down her neck about not straining her knee too much. It was absolutely maddening and Chloe needed to get out of the house. Besides, it wasn’t like she was _planning_ on playing; Chlo just wanted to be with her team. But if Coach Anders wanted to see how Chloe was recovering, by throwing her in goal for a few rounds, she wouldn’t refuse.

During times like these, Chloe would call on Hope to diffuse the situation. Chloe’s big bad ass Mom would pull her wife away, persuading her to let their teenager have some space. Hope and Chloe were alike that way, they both coveted their independence.

Except that now Chloe didn’t have reinforcements. Hope was away on National team business as the goalkeepers coach, leaving Payton and Chloe at home with Kell. So Chloe had to use her last option; the unpredictable weapon in her arsenal she hoped she would never have to resort to.

“Hey P, how much do you love me?”

Payton shook her head violently. There was no _fucking_ way Payton was going to interfere with her Mama’s rules. The fourth grader could handle a lot of things; Chloe used to use her as a goalie before she switched positions and made her the test subject of any weird science experiments, but the wrath of Kelley O’Hara-Solo was not something Payton liked to be involved with.

“No, no way Chloe. I’m not distracting Mama for you. You’re on your own”

Chloe eyed her sister, deciding on whether or not Payton was firm in her objections or if the younger girl could be persuaded by certain deals. Payton matched Chloe’s stare, resolute in her decision.

In fact, Payton decided to have a little fun because Chloe was currently crippled and thus, couldn’t physically hurt her. So really, the younger girl had nothing to lose save for a verbal battering later.

Payton took a deep breath, thoroughly enjoying the look of confusion followed quickly by horror coming over Chloe’s face.

“MAMA, CHLOE’S TRYING TO GO PLAY SOCCER”

Both girls froze as they heard movement on the floor above them which quickly turned into hurried footsteps coming down the stairs.

Chloe was seething. Her suspicions were correct. The theory that Chloe had been harboring since her moms brought that six pound loaf of screaming baby home from the hospital was confirmed.  Payton O’Hara-Solo was an actual demon ascended from hell.

“Chloe Maureen,” Kelley’s voice had a dangerous warning tone “I will call Mom if you even _think_ about leaving this house.”

“Oh my God, fine” Chloe quickly deflated before turning her attention back to the smug nosed fourth grader sitting to her left. She jabbed a finger in her little sister’s face, looking the girl dead in the eye.

“I will remember this and the minute I can walk properly you’re fucking dead.”

Payton nodded, knowing that in a few weeks she’d probably be six feet under. But seeing her big sister utterly helpless for a brief moment in time, while their mother escorted her back upstairs, was absolutely worth it.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some O'Hara-Solo sisters and come yell at us to get on top of our shit at twinswriteuswnt on tumblr.


	10. Skate Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Tobin gone Kellan wants to skate with Alex

“Mommy,” Alex heard a tiny voice echo through the house. 

“What’s up Kells”

Four year old Kellan came barreling into the kitchen, almost tripping over their two snoring dogs, and crashed into her mother’s legs. Alex looked down and smiled at her little wild thing. 

Kells was in her favorite t-shirt and board shorts, her hair in tangles from getting into preschool shenanigans. She shot Alex a gap toothed grin and raised a single eyebrow, her ace of spades that got her mothers to cave whenever she wanted something. 

“Mommy can we go skate?” 

“Skateboard?”

Kellan nodded vigorously. “Yes please.”

“Sorry Kellan, not tonight babe.”

The four year old furrowed her eyebrows and cocked her head “why?”

“Honey,” Alex abandoned the soup she was stirring on the stove and bent down to her daughter’s level, taking Kellan’s hands in her own.

“Honey, do you remember why you have to wait for Mama to go skate?”

Kellan’s face fell, replacing the excitement in her green eyes with disappointment and tears. She nodded, sniffing and wiping the single tear that managed to escape her eyes. 

Honestly, it broke Alex’s heart to turn down an activity that her kid loved. But at this stage in the game, she couldn’t risk anything happening. 

“Mommy can’t skate because we have to protect sister.” the little girl placed a hand on the bulge between them.

Alex put her hand over Kellan’s and the two Morgan-Heath’s stood quietly for a moment, feeling baby Jordan squirm around. 

“Right. We have to protect Jo-Jo. What do you say we take our lunch in the living room and watch a movie?”

Kellan’s attitude picked up a little at the mention of a movie. 

“Can we watch the ‘Vengers?”

Alex laughed, her kid was obsessed with the Avengers. But if watching a bunch of superheroes blow stuff up made her sweet Kellan smile again, then damn it they were going to watch the ’Vengers.

“Of course baby”

Placing a kiss on Kellan’s forehead Alex stood up and offered her hand. The little girl took it and they headed to the living room.

“But if Mama comes home before bed then can I skate?”

“Sure Kell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Kells is the cutest ain't she? Come yell into the void with us over at twinswriteuswnt on tumblr! Thank you all for your continued interest in the shit we write. You're all truly amazing.


	11. Tarheel Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meghan Klingenberg heads to the Harris-Krieger household in need of some motherly advice.

“Klingy, I love you but you barely kept Hallie and Chloe alive for the four hours you had them” Ashlyn handed her teammate a beer while juggling her own and a sleeping toddler.

Meghan scoffed, accepting the beer, refusing to admit that her friend was at least a little bit right in her accusations.

“Okay but that was like ten years ago and O’Solo’s kid is a demon. This kid is already five, potty trained and doesn’t come in a two for one deal.”

Ashlyn chuckled at the memory of wild six year old Chloe O’Hara and her equally devious partner in crime. The keeper ran a hand through her son’s hair, contemplating Kling’s recent proposition.

Earlier that day, Meghan had asked Ashlyn if she could run by the Harris-Krieger household to discuss something rather important. She rambled on about Tarheel solidarity and the fact that Ali and Ashlyn were the most normal out of their crazy soccer family; thus making them the most qualified couple to offer valid life advice.

Naturally, Ash assumed their conversation would be about how Kling had finally pulled her head out of her ass and realized how in love she was with Morgan. Everybody could see the two best friend’s blatant attraction to each other. They were almost worse than Alex and Tobin before they _finally_ got together. So it was only natural that Ashlyn had prepared her standard “follow your heart and be honest” speech; one she had already given on three separate occasions.

(You’re welcome Kelley, Julie and Alex)

But Meghan hit one out of left field.

Meghan Klingenberg, single lady extraordinaire, was in the market to adopt a child.

Ashlyn had been taken aback and definitely skeptical. Meghan noticed Ashlyn’s doubt and set out to ease her friend’s nerves. Sitting down in a large recliner, with Graham practically drooling in her chest, Ashlyn listened with an open mind to her teammate’s explanation.

According to Kling, the decision wasn’t rash. It wasn’t the product of a midlife crisis or the need for validation in her life. Meghan was a four time Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion and a Carolina Tarheel. Validation was the last thing on her mind.

Sure, maybe Kling did have a void to fill. A life full of traveling and competition didn’t leave a whole lot of room for starting a family. But Meghan had never felt the pressure to commit to somebody in order to have a kid. And the kid that she had fallen head over heels for needed Meghan just as much as Meghan needed her.

“Raising a child is a big deal Kling. They’re a lot of work and you wouldn’t be able to travel half as much as you do now if you go through with this. It’s a life of sacrifice dude” Ashlyn motioned for Meghan to hand her a blanket.

The younger woman grabbed the worn square of yellow fabric off the floor and handed it to the keeper. She watched Ashlyn wrap Graham’s limp sleeping body in the blanket, pressing soft kisses to the boy’s forehead before adjusting her grip. The way Ashlyn looked at her son, with unadulterated love, was the way Meghan found herself looking at Logan.

_**Logan.** _

Logan Maddox, a five year old with wise whiskey eyes and two missing front teeth, was the daughter of a friend from college. Meghan had met the girl a handful of times, usually whenever she managed to venture back to Chapel Hill.

Two years ago her parents, old college friends and teammates of Kling's, were killed in a car accident on their way back from an anniversary weekend. Even though Kling hadn’t been around for a large portion of Logan’s life, she felt obligated to at least spend time with the newly orphaned preschooler who only had her aging grandparents for companionship.

At first Meghan’s visits were awkward. They were spent mostly sitting in silence watching the little girl run around her grandparents’ living room playing with her toys, oblivious to the tragedy around her. It was almost as if Logan could smell the fear and obligation that seeped from Kling’s person.

As they became more familiar with each other’s presence, Logan began to incorporate Meghan in her four year old antics; handing the defender a book for her to read aloud or even urging her to color in the coloring books. After a while, Meghan found herself buying gifts and clothes to take to Logan for her next visit.

Kling swore that her visits with Logan were only going to be a monthly thing. At that time she wasn’t ready to be considered a guardian or anything other than Cool Aunt Kling, a title her growing posse of 15er nieces and nephews bestowed upon her. Monthly Logan afternoons were about all Kling could handle without launching herself into a panic attack about parenthood.

But here they were, one year later, and Logan was spending almost every other weekend in Pittsburgh at Casa de Kling.

Hell, the kid even had her own room and Meghan found herself walking by whenever Logan was back in North Carolina, wishing that she’d see a tiny human passed out in her Steelers themed bed. Or she and Morgan would drive by an elementary school and Kling would make mental notes to check out that particular school just in case Logan would like it.

That was when she knew that Logan wasn’t just some kid she felt bad for. No, Logan was Meghan’s world.

“I know, but honestly Ash, I think this would be good for both Logan and me. She’d get a stable home in a city with great schools and have a ton of aunts to love her. I mean, just look at how obsessed we are with your kids!” Meghan felt herself getting passionate about the subject.

The goalkeeper just smiled. She knew her children were adored by their teammates. Every kid born or adopted into the 15er family was unconditionally loved and cared for and there would be no doubt that they would take Logan in as their own.

“You’re right,” Ash nodded, smiling as her two oldest children came sleepily trudging in with Ali and Hallie right behind them. “I think you’ve thought this through and anybody would be lucky to have you as a Mom.”

“Who’s a mom?” Hallie yawned, cramming herself into the chair with Ash and Graham. 

Kling and Ashlyn shared a knowing glance and gave the teenager a sly grin.

“Hal, how would you like to have another cousin?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, what'd we think? Wanna talk about it? Head over to twinswriteuswnt on tumblr!
> 
> Thanks for all of your continued support!


	12. Waiting for Chloe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelley's anxious about Chloe's arrival. O'Solo fluff AF

Kelley sat in the clawfoot tub, bubbles up to her ears and a soft indie song playing through the speaker. A perfect view of the sun setting on the Puget Sound in front of her; Kell had all the elements to a relaxing evening except she was far from relaxed.

Kelley was fucking terrified.

The forward sank deeper into the scalding water, hands running restlessly over her protruding stomach. Her hand glossed over her belly button and a small foot swiftly kicked in response.

"Easy there Chlo" Kelley chided the growing infant.

Chloe Maureen O'Hara-Solo was due any day now. Throughout the pregnancy Kelley had been fairly relaxed, leaving most of the panicking and worrying to Hope. Now that their daughter was arriving at any moment, the reality of birth became all too real to the once fearless soccer star.

"I'll make you a deal Freckles," Kelley bargained after a punch to her ribs knocked the wind out of her "if you promise to make your birth as quick as possible, I promise to buy you anything you want for your first birthday."

While she was trying to reason with her unborn kid, Kell didn't notice Hope standing and listening in the doorway.

"She's not even born and you're already trying to bribe our daughter?"

Kelley sat up, slightly startled by her wife's voice.

"Jesus Solo, trying to send me into early labor?"

The keeper laughed, moving to sit on the small stepstool by the tub. Hope sat down and leaned over the porcelain edge, placing a kiss on the hand outlined in Kelley's skin.

"Hi Chlover"

Kelley felt her heart melt into a puddle. Seeing her big badass Hope Solo turn into a giant sucker for their baby was her kryptonite.

After greeting the baby, Hope greeted her wife with an equally gentle kiss.

"How'd she do today?" Hope asked, skimming her hand over Chloe's outline.

"Super squirmy. I swear to God that girl is a future National team member, she kicks so damn hard."

A proud smile burst onto Hope's face. Although she knew that she'd support Chloe in whatever passions her heart pursued; Hope couldn't help but wish that soccer was one of them.

"You got your Auntie Carli and Auntie Christen's feet already huh Chlo?"

Hope refocused on her wife. "How'd you do?"

"Honestly?" Kelley reached up for Hope. Hope pulled her wife up to stand in the bath. She snatched a terry robe from the hook and held it out for Kell.

Stepping into the robe, Kelley shrugged. "I'm terrified"

The pair walked into the connecting master bedroom. Hope grabbed Kelley's pajamas and helped her into them. Once the both of them were ready, the wives got into bed.

"I'm freaked out that something is going to go wrong or that I mess something up or that this kid isn't going to be happy we're her moms. Oh my God Hope, what if she gets bullied?!" The younger woman felt herself getting worked up into a frenzy.

"Oh my God Kell," Hope put her hands on either side of Kelley's face "chill out."

A freckled face released all of it's tension, adding tears to her exhaustion and worry. Her wife offered a sad smile and pulled the forward to her chest; the realization setting in that in a few short days she'd be cradling Chloe in a similar fashion.

Hope placed a kiss on top of damp hair, feeling Kelley's arms wrap around her midsection.

"Babe listen,"Kelley sniffed and looked up "first of all, there's nothing wrong with that kid unless you count her Olympic strength. Secondly, you've been nothing but the best-"

Hope grabbed Kelley's chin, kissing her forcefully to drive her point

"best mom for our baby. Seriously this little girl is as healthy as an ox. And as for bullies, if anyone tries anything, I'll have Carli and Fishlock kill 'em"

Kelley's eyes grew wide. Even though they had been married for two years and around each other for seven, this was one of those times where Kelley wasn't one hundred percent sure her wife was joking.

"I love you but you're kidding about Carli and Jess right?"

Hope pinched the bridge of her nose "Oh my God, that was the only part you listened to?"

"Hey I listened! But I'm just clarifying that you're not contracting half the Reign and Carli for a hit on an eight year old."

The keeper rolled her eyes and shook her head. She turned her attention to her daughter, getting her face directly above Kelley's belly.

"Please come quick little squirrel so mommy gets her sense of humor back"

"HEY" Kelley punched her wife softly in the shoulder

"Careful," Hope deadpanned "Chloe needs a Mom and a Mama around so Carli can make good on her hit."

Kelley huffed, despising getting bested. She was the funny one damn it.

"You're the worst"

"Shut up you love me."

"Yeah I guess I do" the younger woman smiled, letting sleep take over.

The wives lay there, listening to the hum of the Sound and the outskirts of Seattle falling asleep. Kelley didn't realize she was nodding off until Hope missed her forehead and pulled the comforter over them.

"This baby and you are loved Kells, everything's gonna be fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pregnant O'Solo gives us SO MANY FEELINGS


	13. Kellan Morgan-Heath: Five Year Old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's favorite kiddo turns five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to @onebigroughdraft and everyone else who decided that KMoHeath was a dinosaur girl. Y'all were onto something.

"Lex," Tobin sleepily called out as she felt her wife jostle her arm as she slipped out of Tobin's embrace "what are you doing?"

Alex threw on an old Cal sweatshirt and then kissed Tobin's forehead. The clock on the bedside table read five-eleven in the morning, an hour that Alex rarely saw now that six month old Jordan finally started sleeping through the night. 

"It's the thirtieth babe"

"Oh, I'll be there in a little while." Tobin mumbled, understanding the importance of the day before falling back asleep. 

The former striker smiled at her wife who was entangled in sheets with her long hair splayed every whichway over the pillows, before leaving the master bedroom and heading down the hall to Kellan's room.  
The five year old's light gray walls were covered in black and white photos of surfers and soccer players while a surfboard shelf hung underneath the large bay window looking out into the Harris-Krieger's backyard. 

Alex took a moment to study the early light of the warm March morning. The sun was beginning to peak out amid leftover rain clouds from last night's thunderstorm. Pink, yellow and orange blended seamlessly together, seemingly painted with broad brushstrokes behind the navy blue and white home of Ali and Ashlyn. 

Speaking of Ali and Ash, Alex felt a grin make it's way onto her face when she saw the soft yellow light of Hallie's room click on. Ali appeared in the window with HAO following closely behind her.   
Heather and Dave had made the drive from Chapel Hill down to Orlando. Dave was coaching a youth lacrosse team at a tournament at Florida State and it happened that Kell's birthday fell on the same weekend. So the Werry family had switched between Alex and Tobin's house and Ali and Ashlyn's to give the girls equal amounts of time with KAO.   
Remembering little KAO, Alex shook her head in amusement at the sight of ginger headed Kaitlan Werry clutching onto Heather's back for dear life while Hallie buried her face into the crook of Ali's neck as the four walked out of the light purple bedroom.

She returned her attention back to her own daughter's room. On the carpeted floor, a box of Legos was upturned and strewn across the bedroom; mixed among plastic dinosaurs and child sized tennis shoes and stuffed animals. Any other day Alex would have had her kid pick up her toys immediately upon getting up, but today was different. Today Kells could do whatever her little heart desired. 

In the brand new twin bed, tucked inbetween custom made US Soccer sheets, Kellan was curled around her stuffed stegosaurus named Sam, snoring softly into his spikes. The preschooler had also fallen asleep wearing her new New Oreleans Pelicans snapback, courtesy of her Uncle Jrue. 

Yep, Kellan Abigail was definitely Tobin Heath's daughter. 

Alex leaned against the door frame and felt an overwhelming sense of love and adoration sweep over her as she watched her daughter's chest rise and fall with sleep. It was odd to think that at this time, five years ago, Alex was in a hospital room with this same little human asleep in her arms. 

Not satisfied with just watching her daughter sleep, Alex padded softly across the room and eased herself onto the bed, pulling Kellan's body close so that the little girl's knees were pressed into Alex's stomach. She reached with the hand that wasn't wrapped around Kell's back and took off the hat, discarding it over the side of the bed.   
Kellan's eyes fluttered open briefly to see who had entered into her blanket burrito. Recognizing her mom through sleep heavy eyes, the little girl offered up a sweet smile and buried herself deeper into Alex's body. 

"Today, in about ten minutes, you're a whole five years old Kell" mother whispered into her daughter's hair

"humph" 

Alex placed five soft kisses to Kellan's face before wrapping her into a hug. 

"Happy birthday my sweet little dinosaur"

By this time, especially after hearing the word 'dinosaur', Kellan was wide awake and looking excitedly up at her mother. Alex studied the little round face, still soft with sleep but the fire in her eyes was ignited, signaling that Kellan was ready for her day. 

"It's my birthday? I'm five!" 

"It's who's birthday?" Tobin appeared the in the doorway, holding baby Jordan who was resting her head against her mother's shoulder. 

Kellan wiggled out of Alex's hold and scampered down from her bed, dancing around her mother and sister. 

"Mama I'm FIVE! Jordan look, Jojo I'm this many. That's one-two-free-four-FIVE" the girl counted her little sister's toes, making the infant giggle. 

"Now that you're five little buddy," Tobin set Jordan down on the bed next to Alex and then grabbed her oldest daughter, holding her upside down "what's your first order of business?"

"Pancakes!" she yelled excitedly, long hair brushing the floor. 

"Tobs, pull her up, her face is getting red" Alex felt the familiar burn of parental panic rise in her chest. 

After serving a few more tickles to her stomach, Tobin flipped Kellan upright and glanced out of the window when a peel of little girl laughter and flashes of Carolina Blue caught her eye. The particular combination of sight and sound could only mean one thing. 

"Hm pancakes may have to wait Kells, I think you might have some visitors"

Just as the midfielder finished her sentence, two small voices called up from the backyard of the Harris-Krieger house. 

"Hey! Hey Kellan! My Mama says you're five now!" Hallie's lisp rang loud and clear from below the window. 

"Today is March thirtieth! That's your birthday and that's today! You're minus one from me an' Matty!" Kaitlan Werry exclaimed, obviously pleased that she was no longer the sole 'big kid' out of the Tribe . 

At the sound of her two best friend's voices, Kellan's eyes grew about two sizes before she scrambled around her room, pulling on her snapback and a pair of socks. Just as Kellan sprinted out of her bedroom door to go join her pals, Tobin put her arm out and practically clotheslined her kid. 

"Hold on there lightening, what'd you forget?"

"Oh," Kellan sheepishly grinned, remembering her morning routine. 

Alex picked Jordan up and got off of the bed so Kellan could smooth out the sheets and pull her Land Before Time comforter up and over her tiny Tarheel pillow. 

"Good job KMo," Alex held her hand out which Kellan delightfully jumped up and smacked as hard as she could. 

"Am I done Mama?" 

Tobin looked to Alex who nodded slightly in agreement. 

"Kisses and then get out of here five year old"

The birthday girl gave a gap toothed grin, a result from losing her two front teeth earlier in the week, and then kissed both of her parents on the cheek. 

"I'm gonna let my friends in now!" Kellan informed her parents as she sprinted down the stairs. 

Tobin and Alex couldn't help but laugh when they heard their daughter and her two best friends erupt in squeals and giggles upon their reunion. Shaking her head and mentally preparing herself for a day full of little girl laughter and energy, Tobin headed out of the room but stopped in her tracks when she realized that Alex wasn't behind her. 

"Whatcha doin' Lex?"

Alex sniffed, not realizing the tears escaping from her eyes as she took a look around her daughter's nursery turned big kid room. She nodded, adjusting a now passed out Jordan on her hip, grabbing Tobin's hand as the exited the room. 

"Tobs, she's  _five."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come join in the shenanigans @twinswriteuswnt on tumblr


	14. Florida Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irony is a bitch when Ashlyn is left on single parents duty when Ali is away.

They say history repeats itself. 

For Ashlyn Harris, history repeated itself with a fish. 

The day had already been a bust from the get-go. Ali had left the night before to go spend a long weekend with her brother in DC, leaving Ashlyn on single parent duty with their three children. It was bad enough that, despite moving from Florida to Pennsylvania a month ago, there were still various unpacked boxes around and their kids were still having a hard time adjusting to upstate life.

Ashlyn forgot to set the boys alarm the night before. So at seven-fifteen, the time they usually were beginning to head out the door, Kyle and Cooper were still fast asleep. Hallie had decided to unleash her full Krieger diva genes and refused to get dressed until Ashlyn had braided her hair in her "game day braid."

Kyle and Cooper got into a minior scuffle regarding who got to use the bathroom first. After pulling the fighting boys apart, Cooper had decided to pick a fight with his little sister, resulting in a bucket full of Hallie tears and an afternoon of grounding for the middle Harris-Kriger. 

By the time the boys had pulled themselves together and gotten ready for school, it was seven-forty five and Ashlyn had given up any and all hopes of being on time. Thankfully, luck was on her side because the kids were perfectly quiet and didn't fight for the entire twenty minute drive to school where Ash had to personally check her group of late students into their classrooms. 

Once the kids were at school, the former keeper had a chance to breathe. Ashlyn headed towards her and Ali's favorite coffee shop in State College and bought herself a venti latte and a poppyseed muffin because, why the hell not? 

The drive to Penn State was spent rapping her heart out to the entirety of 808s and Heartbreak, getting out the morning's frustrations with those sweet sweet Kanye West lines. Once at practice, Ashlyn focused all of her energy on her group of college goalkeepers, practically forgetting that her morning had been crafted straight from the pits of hell. 

"Hey Harris!" Carmelina Moscato, and current first assistant coach for the Nittany Lions, held up Ashlyn's phone which was currently ringing off the hook. 

"Thanks Carm," Ashlyn turned to her starting keeper beside her "Madison, be confident. Direct your backline, you can see more than they can."

She jogged over to the bench, taking the iPhone from Carmelina and smiled before swiping right on the photo of Hallie, Cooper and Kyle wrapping their arms around Ali during her last birthday. 

"Hey princess is everything okay?"

"Penn Academy said they tried calling you like four times" the annoyance in Ali's voice couldn't be missed by even the most dense of specimens. 

"Oh shit, I was at practice. Did they tell you anything?" now Ashlyn was worried as she began packing up her gear. 

The younger woman could imagine her wife wringing her hands in both anxiety and irritation as Ali explained that apparently their daughter had gotten into trouble and if one of her parents could please go down to the school and resolve the issue as well as take their troublesome kid home. 

"God damn it, sorry babe. I'll go take care of it. Have fun and tell the queen I said hi" Ashlyn hung up her phone and quickly explained to the other coaches the situation. 

Driving back through the lunch time traffic, Ashlyn tried to think of what kind of fuckery Hallie Blaire could have gotten herself into. For the most part, Hal was a really good kid. Her only issues academically was that she was shy and often refused to speak in front of her classmates. And although she was a loaded pistol at home with her big brothers, Hallie was generally a sweet and kind little girl who would go out of her way to help her mothers or aunts out. 

Ashlyn parked her Jeep in the parents parking lot and jogged up the sidewalk to the illustrious maple tree lined private school Ali's parents insisted on paying for and sending their grandchildren to. 

"Hi Ashlyn," Pam the secretary greeted as Ash made her way into the front office. 

Pam Oliver was not only the secretary at Pennsylvania Academy, but she also lived across the street from the Harris-Krieger's new home. 

"Miss Hallie is sitting in the nurse's room"

"Thanks Pam, are we still on for dinner next week with your wife and the boys?"

"Friday night at seven," Pam confirmed with a nod "Lindsey is excited to see Ali again, and of course Wyatt and Danny are stoked to see the boys."

"Great, see you then" Ashlyn threw a wave over her shoulder while briskly weaving through the mini maze of offices and isolation desks until she reached a small room in the back. 

In the nurse's station, Hallie was sitting on the small cot with an ice pack pressed up against her eye. Ashlyn immediately felt the anger become quickly replaced with sympathy for her only daughter. 

"Oh Hallie Blaire" 

Her voice had startled the second grader who had been staring out into space, reducing her to tears. Hal slid off the cot amidst her tears and walked over to her Mama, wrapping her tiny little arms around Ashlyn's waist. 

The keeper picked up her daughter and held her close, feeling a little guilty that she was pleased Hallie wanted to be comforted by her. Not that Hallie preferred Ali over Ashlyn, the little girl loved her parents equally, but Ash was typically who Hal turned to to play or giggle with while Ali was her cuddle buddy. 

Before Ashlyn had a chance to ask her daughter about the incident that had given her a black eye, the headmaster appeared in the doorway and requested Ashlyn's presence in his office. Reassuring her daughter that she'd be right back,

Ashlyn follow Graham Penewell into the first office after Pam's desk. 

"I assume your wife didn't fill you in on your daughter's infractions?"

"No sir, and I apologize for not coming sooner. I leave my phone on the bench while I coach."

Graham nodded his head, sympathetic due to his own daughter who played on the Breakers. 

"I understand Mrs. Harris-Krieger and all is forgiven. But in regards to Hallie, she was caught up in a small misunderstanding over a salmon."

"A salmon?" 

Graham nodded his head, trying his best to keep it together and not burst out into laughter. If he was honest, the Harris-Krieger kids were so damn charming and they reminded him a lot of his own grown children, making it hard to discipline them. 

"Yes, the accelerated second grade class is learning about the swimming patterns of salmon while raising about four of the fish in the classroom. Your daughter, according to her teacher, had been conversing with another student about the differences in each of their salmon--"

At this point, Graham Penewell had now been reduced to tears of laughter, recalling the seriousness of Hallie's testimony while Ashlyn was slack jawed in her seat. 

"--her classmate vehemently disagreed and Miss Harris-Krieger proceeded to grab a fish from the tank and hit the boy across the face with a sockeye salmon. Mr. Owens responded accordingly, grabbing his own fish from the tank and then smacked Hallie in the eye."

Ashlyn swore she could hear Ali's voice now: Hallie remembers a lot more than you think she does Ash. She might be biologically Krieger but our daughter is all Harris. 

Damn it Hallie Blaire. 

"So what's her punishment?" Ashlyn rubbed her forehead, still in shock at her eight year old. 

"She already wrote a letter of apology to the student and she'll be suspended for the rest of the day but by tomorrow morning Hallie will have full privileges back. Denver Owens is recieving the same consequences as well."

"Thanks Headmaster Penewell, I'll take Hal now." she reached over the desk as she stood up and shook the principal's hand. 

Graham smiled and led Ashlyn out and to the front office where Hallie had been relocated. Ashlyn shook her head at the little girl dressed in a blue polo with a khaki jumper, scuffed up Mary Janes and her Nike backpack that practically swallowed her tiny frame whole. 

"Let's go Hallie Blaire."

Hallie slid off of her seat and followed her mother sheepishly out to the car. The girl studied her mother's face for what kind of mood she was in as Ashlyn buckled Hallie into her car seat. The mother and daughter pair stayed silent for the first ten minute of their drive back home before Hallie quietly spoke up. 

"Mama?" 

"Yes Hal?" Ashlyn looked at her daughter through the rear view mirror. 

"I had to call Mommy and tell her what happened. She told me to give you a message."

"Oh? What'd Mommy say?"

Hallie's hazel eyes lit up, a familir fire of mischief set ablaze behind them. 

"That you can take the girl out of Florida but you can't take the Florida out of the girl." 


	15. Ana Sasic: Birthday Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tribe throws Ana Sasic a birthday party and Kaitlan is a frustrated little ginger.

If someone were to ask Ana Sasic how'd she spend her ideal twenty-fourth birthday, she'd say something along the lines of "a small affair at home in Munich with her closest friends, a karaoke machine and her fridge stocked full of her favorite beer." 

When it comes to her actual twenty-fourth birthday she's in ninety degree weather at a beach house in Southern California. Surrounded by a mix of the American, Canadian, English and German national teams; all of whom are drunk and singing along to the radio with a few playing mini pick up soccer games. 

The old Ana Sasic would've steadfastly objected to spending her special day with anybody outside of her friends and family, most of whom she'd grown up with. But now as an adult, Ana found herself having friends from all over the world she wanted to celebrate with. 

Luckily for Ana, dating Kaitlan Werry had it's perks and one of those perks was being able to use the resources of KAO's best friends. One of those resources being the brilliant party planning mind of Vanessa Dwyer, and access to the beach house of Chloe O'Hara-Solo and Hallie Harris-Krieger. 

It took a mention of "birthday" and "Kait will pay for booze" for Hallie and Chloe to spread the word throughout the SheBelieves tournament teams that the day after the championship game was played, all the teams were invited to celebrate the legendary German forward's birthday and crash at Double Trouble's vacation home.

There wasn't an athlete who would dream of missing another epic Los Angeles beach bash. Because if there's one thing that the entire international soccer community agreed upon, was that the Americans knew how to throw a party. Most of the girls on the national teams had played on youth teams and had fond memories of late night dance parties with the Americans on days off. 

Ana took a swig of whatever concoction Chloe O'Hara-Solo had thrust into her hand, insisting that "the birthday girl gets to be the sloppiest." She liked Chloe, they were rivals on the pitch but off the field she and the rest of their "Tribe of Five" (a stupid name for a friend group but she'd never tell the five, they'd kill her) got along very well. Especially now that she was involved with their oldest member. 

Involved, Ana chuckled to herself realizing that she sounded just like her mother. But she and Kaitlan were so much more than involved even if the both of them weren't ready to say to the G-word. Ana scanned over the beach, looking for the familiar swish of a red ponytail. The forward's eyes swept over the buzzing congregation of international soccer players.

Chelsea McLeod and Harper Ohai were hard at work grilling chicken and burgers in the outdoor kitchen. Natalie Mittag and Katie Mueller were teaching Vanessa Dwyer and Bailey Bronze a German drinking game, the English midfielders were engaged in a high stakes beer pong game against the Canadian mids, Chloe was playing bartender with all of the international keepers and the rest of the athletes were dancing and mingling among themselves in the hot Los Angeles heat. 

"She's upstairs trying to find her wetsuit" 

Ana whipped her head around towards the voice. She was met with the sliding glass door to see Hallie and Kellan, also in wetsuits, coming from inside. 

"Sasic" Kellan nodded to the German, hustling down the porch steps and sprinting to her board where it rested against the rack. 

Ana playfully nudged the American forward with her shoulder "Heath."

"That's Morgan-Heath to you" Kellan laughed behind her as she grabbed her surfboard and headed towards the crystal blue waves. "Hal, I'll meet you out there. Love you!" 

Hal nodded and waved her girlfriend on, watching the muscular forward jog down the beach and down to the water. Ana studied her friend, chuckling at how love struck Hallie was whenever Kellan was around.

"The return of Hallie Heart-Eyes"

Hallie and Kellan were probably the most married couple she knew. Sasic admired the both of them, their absolute professionalism whenever they wore the crest of their club or country and their love for each other off the pitch. Ana also knew that Kaitlan used her two best friends as a standard for her own relationships, a standard Sasic was willing to surpass. 

The midfielder rolled her eyes and gently pushed Sasic towards the house.

"I'm going to kill Kaitlan for telling you that, go get your girl. She's scrounging in my room which is upstairs and the second door on the left." 

Ana nods and squeezed Hallie's arm in appreciation before heading into the house. 

The beach home, used whenever the Tribe has an extended period of time off, was decorated in various photos of the girls growing up. Ana had only been here one other time when she was invited on, what she now realizes was a test those devious brats, a week long "detox" after the World Cup.

Following Hal's directions, Ana took her time going up the stairs to look at the photos that lined the staircase.

Her eyes scanned over frames with little girls in matching Becky Sauerbrunn t-shirts, teenagers in aviators on a beach in Florida, college students in their jerseys clutching each other tightly. She could feel the love these girls had for each other and she knew it was special. 

Ana made it to Hallie's bedroom door and could Kaitlan's frustrated muttering coming from within. 

"I just don't get why Hallie has to have the suits in her room. It's probably so Kellan is forced to go into her room naked. Or because Chloe loses everything she touches and V doesn't surf but I do god damn it" 

Staying as quiet as she could, Ana slipped in Hallie's bedroom. She looked around the room, it was like a Pottery Barn showroom in real life. Out of the corner of her eye, poking out of a wicker laundry basket of clean clothes was the sleeve of a black wetsuit with a familiar set of yellow embroidered initials. 

KAO was absolutely oblivious to Ana's presence. So Ana pulled the wetsuit from underneath the pile of laundry and held it up in her left hand. 

"Looking for something?"

Kaitlan, who had been on all fours scrounging around in the closet, jerked her head up and hit the doorknob. 

"Jesus Christ Ana"

The striker smirked "Huh haven't heard you say that quietly before"

The American's face dropped so quickly in shock that the older girl couldn't help but laugh as she crossed the hardwood floor and helped Kaitlan up. 

KAO gave Ana a lopsided grin and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Ana's eyes automatically closed as soon as Kait's lips brushed against her face, the simple contact made her knees buckle. Sasic could never explain it but Kaitlan Werry had her weak spot. 

"Oh there it was" KAO grabbed her wetsuit and Ana's hand in the process "c'mon let's go! We have waves to shred!" 

"Liebe" Ana tugged on her girlfriend's hand prompting Kaitlan to halt "I don't think you thanked me properly. It is my birthday after all"

"Oops" the redhead blushed and pulled Ana to her. 

Blue eyes looked into green for a moment, allowing themselves a moment of quiet among the chaos of their teams. Kaitlan closed the gap between them, kissing Ana fully with all of the gratitude she could muster. 

Ana eagerly accepted the kiss, allowing herself to deepen the kiss by gliding her tongue along Kaitlan's lower lip which always tasted like mint chapstick. KAO involuntarily moaned at the contact, dropping her wetsuit onto the ground so she could grip the loops of the forward's denim shorts to pull her as close as she possibly could. 

Just as a freckled hand lightly scratched at the top of Ana's hipbone, the German broke away and raised an eyebrow at a now flustered Kaitlan Werry. 

"Thank you" Kait whispered against alcohol stained lips. 

"You can give me my real present later." Ana nodded and excitedly rushed out the door, leaving an amused Kaitlan to chase after her like it had always been and Kaitlan hoped it would never stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE BACK BITCHES


	16. Logan Klingenberg: Family doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan gets sick and it's up to Kling and Logan to take care of her.

Morgan Brian didn't get sick often but when she did, boy did she get sick. 

For the past three days Moe hadn't been feeling her best, from a scratchy throat that she had chalked up to directing her teammates to a stuffed up nose that she had assumed was from seasonal allergies. But Morgan was terribly wrong, her nose and throat were symptoms to the full blown flu that kept her bed ridden for the last twenty four hours. 

Honestly Moe could handle the incessant coughing. She could tolerate the constant running nose with intermittent sneezing and the fact that she sounded like a forty year old man with a smoking habit. The star midfielder would have even been okay with missing practice and a game. But the worst part about being sick, Morgan quickly decided, was telling her seven year old that she wasn't allowed to get to close for fear that the little girl would fall ill. 

Morgan had woken up, still feeling sick and gross, when Kling uncharacteristically sprung up out of bed at six-thirty. Still half asleep, Moe could detect Logan's high pitched whine and Kling's lower murmur.

"Whyyyy?" 

Morgan watched, with one eye cracked, Logan's tiny body visibily deflated when Kling had blocked the doorway to keep Logan from jumping in with them like she usually did on Saturday mornings. 

Kling ran a hand through their kid's wild bedhead and gave the little girl a sympathetic smile. 

"I'm sorry kiddo, no cartoons in bed this morning. You can go watch them downstairs."

"But," Logan's voice wavered with impending tears "but I always watch Spongebob with Mama"

Meghan tried to use her firmest voice, but she could tell that her resolve was one puppy-dog look away from crumbling. She honestly couldn't risk Logan getting sick. They had to travel across the country in about a week in order to attend Hadley Press-Johnston's first birthday. Having already experienced traveling cross-country with a fever-ish Logan before, Meghan was vehmently against reliving that experience. 

"Logan," Meghan put both hands on her daughter's shoulders "you can't come in here. Mama needs to rest and get better before we go see Auntie JJ and Aunt Pressy"

"Mom, it's Saturday" Logan started to pout

"No Logan"

Moe coughed, getting the attention of both her favorite girls. 

"I'm don't feel good Baby Bean. Do you think you could be my doctor and bring me some tea? It'd make me feel so much better." her voice was raw and rough. 

Logan gasped at the word doctor. "Like Doc McStuffins?!" 

"Exactly like Doc McStuffins" Moe gravely nodded.

By this point Logan didn't even care about cartoons. She had to take care of her Mama and make Doc McStuffins proud of her caretaking skills. 

Seeing Logan's mood drastically improve, Kling mouthed a thank you to Morgan for diffusing a potential meltdown. She turned to their daughter, now looking a little more hopeful. 

"What do you say kiddo? Let's go get dressed then go grab some breakfast back for Mama?"

The seven year old jumped around excitedly and her large brown eyes lit up. The little girl stopped bouncing abruptly, a serious expression coming over her sweet round face. 

"I'm gonna wear Tarheels" Whitney had gotten Logan her first Carolina shirt and the little girl wore it everywhere. 

"Okay meet me downstairs after you've gotten dressed, brushed your hair and fed your fish" Meghan was absolutely relieved that she could pull Logan away and give Moe a chance to get more sleep. 

"Okay! Be back soon Mama, love you!" Logan's little voice carried as she ran down the hallway. 

After making sure Logan got to her bedroom without tripping, Meghan turned towards Moe who had fallen back asleep. She sat at the edge of the bed, reaching out to gently remove stray hairs from a pale face to tuck them behind her ear. 

"We'll be back," Kling pressed a kiss to Moe's forehead "love you"

~

"Mom, I wanna do it!" Logan demanded, reaching for the tray Meghan held above the little girl's head. 

Kling shook her head "Little Bean, you're a klutz like your Mama."

Logan stomped her tiny shark socked foot "But she asked me to bring her tea and breakfast" 

Meghan, not wanted to delay this any longer, conceded to her daughter's request. Logan carefully took the tray from Kling's hands and waited patiently for Meghan to open up the bedroom door. 

"Morgan?" Meghan poked her head into the room and smiled when she saw Morgan, fully sitting up watching a movie. 

Moe turned and gave a weary smile "Hey babe, you guys were gone for a while"

"Logan couldn't make up her mind" 

"NO" Logan protested from behind the door and out of Moe's sight "that was YOU"

A watery laugh turned into a cough as Logan ratted out Meghan's inability to decided on what pancakes she wanted. 

"C'mon Lo," she groaned "we agreed you'd take the blame and I'd pay you in gummy bears"

Logan shot Kling an eyeroll that she could have only learned from Morgan as the girl nudged her way into the bedroom. Morgan smiled at her daughter, carefully trying not to trip as she tightly gripped a wooden tray with a mug of steaming hot tea and a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon. 

"Careful KlingenKid," Kling cautioned when Logan sidestepped a pillow that Kling must have tossed down in the middle of the night.

"Mom can you take this now? I wanna sit with Mama"

"Lo, you're going to get sick we're discussed this"

"She's okay Meg," Moe quickly stated as she saw tears instantly well up in Logan's eyes "really"

"Okay but be gentle" 

Logan stopped right at the edge of the king sized bed, waited for Meghan to take her tray and then gingerly pullled herself up onto the bed. Morgan had to stiffle a small chuckle at how slowly Logan was moving in order to keep Morgan as peaceful as possible. After a solid ten seconds of sloth like movement, Logan made it to her other parent and collapsed into Moe's waiting arms. 

"I'm sorry you're sick Mama" Logan murmured into Moe's sweatshirt, her little body snuggled into her mother's side. 

Morgan smiled and pressed a series of small kisses into Lo's hair. 

"Thank you sweet girl, I feel so much better. Doc McStuffins would be proud"

"You're welcome" Lo grinned, equally pleased with herself that she made her mother feel better and that she had the approval of the Doc.

"Hey, what about me?!" Kling slipped in bed on the other side of Morgan, placing the tray on her wife's lap. 

"Thank you babe" a sweet kiss placed on Meghan's cheek. 

The family of three spent the rest of the morning eating breakfast and watching movies in bed. Well, Meghan watched the movies while Morgan and Logan napped. 

Feeling sleepy herself, Meghan grabbed the tray off of a sleeping Morgan's lap and set it to the side. Before falling asleep Kling whipped out her phone and quickly snapped a photo of Moe and Logan, mouths wide open with Morgan's head resting on Logan's, dead asleep. 

 

**@meghankling: Cuddles from #LittleBean are known to cure any cold. #LoKlingenMoe**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come join the fuckery over at twinswriteuswnt, we have a time over there


	17. The ESPYS part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tribe attends the ESPYS where Vanessa Dwyer is usually the belle of the ball. But tonight she's out of character and one of the Tribe may have a small crush.

Vanessa Dwyer fucking loved the ESPYS. She lived her fullest life at the ESPYS. Being able to mingle with her friends on other professional teams, spending an entire night slaying a custom designed dress or tux with her girls and being able to represent the greatest team on the planet was all amazing to V. But the part of the ESPYS, the part she truly lived for, was the drama that always surrounded the awards show. 

Since attending her first ESPYS two years ago with the national team, Vanessa had seen some shit go down. She had a first row seat to watching Brooke Knight and Griffin McCaffrey’s disastrous beginning. Vanessa had sat, dumbfounded with Hallie and Chloe, as they saw Alyssa Douglas sucker punch Troy Gronkowski in the stomach because he dared to say that gymnastics wasn’t a real sport. Vanessa had witnessed, with a teary eye, Karter Bryant propose to Quinn Moore to make the greatest basketball couple in history. 

So yeah, Vanessa Dwyer fucking loved the ESPYS. 

~

Usually Vanessa Dwyer was a social butterfly at awards ceremonies. She made friends quickly, bonding over alcohol or gold medals won, and V was simply a likable human being. So it was an odd and rare occasion when Vanessa stood in the same general area and kept her conversations brief. 

“Hey,” Harper Ohai nudged Vanessa on the shoulder as she sat down in the chair next to her teammate “are you okay?”

Vanessa nodded, not taking her eyes off the people she had been staring at for the last ten minutes. “Yeah good, why?”

“Because you’ve destroyed three glasses of champagne without moving more than six inches away from this table the entire night. Usually you’re Queen V, social butterfly at these things. So spill” the forward caught the attention of the ESPYS waiter and motioned for him to keep the alcohol flowing. 

V dramatically sighed and slumped in her seat. She had to tell somebody about her observations, it was killing her. Vanessa gestured a perfectly manicured hand towards the other side of the room where a group of their teammates were mingling with some of the NFL players. 

“What do you see over there Ohai? Over by our trophy?”

Harper followed the direction of Vanessa’s hand. Standing around the World Cup trophy was a group of Stanford grads who all had gone professional in their own sports. Beckett McCaffrey who now played for the Eagles, Alyssa Douglas who recently won the US Secret Open, Chloe and Chelsea holding pinkies, Riley Curry playing for the United States National Volleyball team, Matthew and Silas Watts who were twin O-Linemen playing for the Seahawks  _ wait. _

“Wait what the fuck?” Harper’s jaw dropped. 

_ Chloe and Chelsea were holding pinkies.  _

Vanessa just nodded, taking a drink from her recently refilled vodka soda. Before she had a chance to explain, somebody came up behind Vanessa and pressed a swift kiss to her cheek while Rhys LePeilbet hugged Harper as the defenders flanked their forwards. 

“Dwyer, Ohai, please tell me that you’ve been watching this bullshit happening with our teammates.” Rhys quickly slurped the rest of her whiskey ginger and signaled for another. 

“Vanessa, we have to do something.” Hallie demanded “the sexual tension has literally been happening since college. Right Harper?”

Harper raised her wine glass and nodded in agreement before taking a sip. 

“Hal,” V took her best friend’s face in her hands, looking the middy in the eye and simultaneously admiring the winged eyeliner Hallie had on for the evening “we can’t” 

“Um, why the fuck not?” Rhys questioned, straightening her tie “those two will do the Hallie and Kellan dance for YEARS if we don’t interfere”

“Hey!” Hallie protested

“Who’s doing the Hallie and Kellan dance?” Sadie Van Hollebeke and Emerson Barnhart came over to join. 

Harper nodded “LePlehBleh is right, they need us.”

“Who needs us?” Kellan dropped down in the chair next to Hallie while Casey Long and Halston Lindsey sat on Harper and Rhys’s laps. 

“This could be the single relationship that unifies North America” Hallie pointed out, thanking the waiter for bringing the table a basket full of fries as well as refills on their drinks. 

“Why are we unifying North America?” Lastly young Mallory, her first ESPYS with the National Team, sat in Hallie’s lap while her favorite cousin wrapped her arms around Mal’s waist. 

“Dale and Chetch” Rhys filled the rest of the table in with her mouth half full of fries.

Vanessa shook her head vehemently before picking up a shoestring fry and pointing it at each of the now nine women sitting next to her. 

“No we cannot because Kaitlan Breanne “I Went to UNC” Werry made me promise that I couldn’t play matchmaker with Chloe and Chelsea. That ‘they have to figure it out on their own’ or some bullshit, I dunno” 

The table groaned and sighed. They all knew better than to disobey KAO. She was slated to be their captain once Lindsey, Emily, Sam and Steph retired after the Victory Tour. Respect was the one word that came to mind right after Tarheel when discussing Kaitlan. So the 35ers knew that KAO’s instructions probably had a good reason behind them. 

“So Chloe and Chelsea like each other?” Mal timidly asked the table. 

The ten women went silent and gave quizzical looks towards their youngest member. They sat for a few moments, watching Mal squirm in embarrassment for a bit before Casey Long spoke up. 

“Hallie, you haven’t told our youngest child about the love saga of Chloe and Chelsea?”

“Honestly you have ONE JOB as her godsister and that’s to fill her in the about the drama” Emerson teased.

Sadie rolled her eyes “God Hal and to think  _ you’re _ the smart one. Let me tell Mal the story. So it began one night at the peasant village of Stanford--”

Hallie groaned and put her hand up “Shut up Hollebeke, you went to Yale so you weren’t even there. Anyway Mal, it all started when Chloe, Ohai and myself were young freshmen at Leland Stanford Junior University, it was Chloe and I’s birthday weekend--”

~

January 2031

“Happy Birthday Chip and Dale, happy birthday to youuuuuu” the Stanford Women’s soccer team sang to the two freshmen who had been shoved in the middle of the huddle after their Friday afternoon pick up game. 

“You two are nineteen already? I remember when you two were running around this field in diapers. God I’m old” Paul Ratcliffe threw his two youngest players in a headlock. 

Chloe and Hallie protested goodnaturedly before their head coach released them, giving them both fist bumps. 

“YOU feel old Coach? Talk to Anson, he’s coaching a player’s GRANDDAUGHTER this year.” Hallie noted. “His entire midfield and backline are the daughters of former players too.” 

Paul let out a deep belly laugh, doubling over at his East Coast adversary and good friend. 

“Is that so? I’ll have to call good ol’ Anson later. Alright ladies, that was a great scrimmage. You have this weekend off but I expect us to hit it hard on Monday morning. Got it?”

“Yes coach” twenty five young women nodded, itching to get their weekend started. 

Paul smiled and put his hand in “Alright Cardinals on three. One-two-three”

“CARDINALS” 

“Get out of here” Paul dismissed his team, chuckling as his girls practically tripped over each other heading to the locker room. 

In the Stanford Women’s Soccer locker room, the sound system was going full blast and the team was singing along to whatever playlist Paige McCann had complied. This was their first real weekend off since winning College Cup in December and the team was ready to exploit that. 

“MY FELLOW CARDINALS,” senior forward Parker Foudy stood on a chair in the middle of the locker room, garnering the attention of her teammates.

“As you all know, tomorrow is our sweet Hal Pal’s birthday and a few days ago our four leaf Chlover had her birthday. In honor of our children turning nineteen, there will be a party at the Senior House tomorrow night starting at nine. It’s going to be big and the theme is Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots. Bring your own booze and come pregame at 8. You may resume”

The locker room erupted in cheers. It had been  _ ages _ since they had a party at Senior House, a home passed on down through the women’s soccer team since its creation over thirty years ago. Saturday night was going to be  _ amazing _ . 

~

“How is the locker room relevant to this story Hallie?” Emerson sassed, not bothering to look at Hallie but instead choosing to keep an eye on Chloe and Chelsea who were now off in their own little world next to the NFL Championship rings display. 

The midfielder rolled her eyes, realizing that everyone was half listening because Chloe and Chelsea had moved locations. 

“It’s relevant Em”

“She’s kinda right,” Harper agreed “it’s relevant.”

Mal, feeling a little sleepy and ready to hear the rest of the story, leaned into her cousin and watched the spectacle before them. 

“Okay so locker room then what?”

“So before the party, we had dinner with your moms but no way to get back to campus”

~


	18. Shooting Hoops and Stanford Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seventeen year old Hallie Blaire has a confession and Alyssa let her niece beat her in one on one

Alyssa Naeher was beloved by every single one of her 15er nieces and nephews. She was someone the kids knew they could go to for anything. Whether it was advice about soccer, help for homework or just someone to play with, they knew that their Auntie Lyssa would always be there for them. 

 

Someone who knew that a little better than the rest of her cousins was one Hallie Harris-Krieger. 

 

Since their move to Pennsylvania a few years back, Hallie had found a new best friend in Alyssa. Alyssa had taken Ali’s offer of being first assistant at Penn State and moved her own little family from Chicago to the home across the street from Ali and Ashlyn. 

 

From the time she was eight, Hal spent almost every Saturday afternoon she could at the Naeher home, searching for some shred of familiarity in a brand new state and town. Alyssa had welcomed her niece with open arms, sometimes keeping the girl a little longer than Ali and Ashlyn thought was necessary but that was part of her job as Hal’s Aunt, to spoil the girl mercilessly. 

 

So it wasn’t an unusual sight when Hallie, now a bright eyed seventeen year old with her entire life ahead of her, showed up on Alyssa’s porch one warm August morning. 

 

“AUNTIE HA-WEE!” little four year old Silas had beaten his mother to the door and greeted one of his favorite people. 

 

Silas was best friends with Hallie’s little brother Graham. But get Silas around both Harris-Krieger siblings and he’d pick Hallie first every time. Most likely because Hal would paint his nails in Hulk colors and jump on the trampoline with him (Graham was still too scared, much to Ali’s delight). 

 

“I’m not your Aunt goober,” Hallie picked up the boy and peppered his face with kisses before setting him down “we’re cousins”

 

“What’s up Chip?” Alyssa happily pulled her niece into a bear hug. 

 

“Wanna shoot hoops old timer?” Hallie raised an eyebrow and dribbled the basketball a few times on the front step. 

 

Saturday morning basketball had become a tradition with the two women. Alyssa had been kicking Hallie’s ass for years until last weekend when the seventeen year old had hit a miraculous three point shot just as the make shift buzzer on Alyssa’s phone went off. Hallie hadn’t let Alyssa live it down for the last six days. 

 

Naher scoffed and gently pushed Hallie towards the full sized basketball court on the side of the house.

 

“Just a shoot around and remind me to never let you win in one on one again.”

 

Hallie’s eyes narrowed with skepticism. “You  _ let _ me win?”

“Of course I let you win Hallie Blaire” Alyssa tied her Nikes and slipped on an old sweatshirt before helping Silas into his own little Jordans. 

 

Hallie was shocked, speechless as she followed her aunt and cousin down to the court. Alyssa Naeher had  _ let _ her win. Now that she thought about it, Alyssa hadn’t been playing as rough as she usually did with Hallie and Hal had been winning a more than normal amount of challenges. 

 

“No wonder they call you the Silent Assassin” Hallie grumbled. 

 

Alyssa laughed and pulled her niece into a headlock, rubbing her fist against the girl’s head playfully.

 

“Oh you’ll beat me one day. I mean, I’ll be dead but one day Hal pal. Now c’mon let’s shoot.”

 

Alyssa and Hallie began their shoot around, the older giving the younger pointers on her form and running her through light shooting drills. Silas contributed to the fun by shagging balls for his mother and cousin, sometimes going off to his kid sized hoop and shooting his own little rubber basketball. 

 

“Hey Aunt Lyss, can I tell you something?” Hallie was at the free throw line, starting her set of fifty shots. 

 

“Always kiddo” Alyssa returned Hal’s shot. 

 

“I want to go to Stanford.” 

 

Alyssa stopped shagging and looked her niece dead in the eye. For the last six months almost every conversation she had had with Ashlyn had been focused around how excited Ash was for Hal to attend North Carolina. While Alyssa was happy for her friend, she noticed that as time went by, Hallie had lost her enthusiasm for her impending future as a Tar Heel. If she was being honest, Hallie’s news wasn’t that shocking.

 

“Stanford? Didn’t you just give your verbal commitment to Anson?”

 

The high school senior nodded, already feeling lighter now that she had told somebody about this secret eating at her for the last two weeks. 

 

Hallie took a deep breath and let the warming fall air fill her lungs before continuing. 

 

“I don’t want to go to North Carolina. Like the thought of having data for everything I do makes me want to puke. I want to go somewhere where people know me as Hallie Harris-Krieger first and ‘the daughter of Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris second.” 

 

Hallie looked to her aunt and Alyssa nodded, letting the girl know that she followed and could continue. 

 

“I had a panic attack about it a couple days ago and kind of decommitted to Anson in an email”

 

“You decommitted to Anson Dorrance?” the surprise was evident on Alyssa’s face.

 

Hallie’s face turned red with shame. Honestly it had been a move of passion and panic, nothing logical was happening in Hallie Blaire Harris-Krieger’s bedroom from the hours of nine to two am Thursday night. 

 

“Yeah, but then I emailed Paul Ratcliffe right after and asked if he still had a need for scholarship midfielder.”

 

“Has Paul gotten back to you?” now Alyssa and Hallie had moved from the court to the front porch steps after sending Silas inside to watch Thomas the Train. 

 

The teenager nodded, hugging her knees to her chest and resting her cheek on them. 

 

“He said the spot was mine if I wanted and he was glad I reconsidered. Paul said he’d send my NLI after Chloe and I visit in October. I’m pretty sure this is against NCAA rules but whatever.” 

 

“CHLOE?!” Alyssa now was in shock that her loudest niece had decommitted as well. 

 

“Uhm yeah so Chloe kinda pulled the same manuever I did on Tuesday night. She hasn’t told Aunt Kells or Aunt Hope yet. God, I can’t imagine her telling Aunt Carli” Hallie’s eyes went wide with the fear Chloe must be harboring; telling her godmother that she wasn’t going to attend her alma mater. 

 

Alyssa nodded, still keeping a neutral expression. She had to give Hallie credit for going head first into what she really wanted. But the kid needed to talk her feelings out instead of just act upon them. The raw emotion seemed to work well for her on the field but in real life, Alyssa knew it had the potential to bite Hallie in the ass. 

 

“Have you told your parents any of this Hallie?” Alyssa put a hand on the teenager’s shoulder. 

 

Hallie shook her head, tears filling her eyes and anxiety filling her stomach. The idea of telling her parents scared the shit out of her. Hal knew Ali would be upset but she’d come around faster than her Mama. 

 

_ Her Mama. _

 

Ashlyn was going to be crushed. All she had talked about since Hallie was knee high to a grasshopper was the idea of her daughter wearing Harris on the back of her jersey with a crisp number eleven right below it. Hell, Hallie’s bedtime stories as a kid had sometimes been about Hallie scoring the game winning goal against Penn State in the National Championship game. 

 

Ashlyn had dreamed that one day Hallie would find her own Whitney and go on wild North Carolinian adventures together and find a friend for life. 

 

And at one point, Hallie had wanted that as well. But for some reason, the moment she stepped onto the Chapel Hill campus as a potential Tar Heel, everything felt wrong. Sure she adored Anson, he was like an uncle to her and of course Brittani Bartok had been a strong presence in her life since day one but Anson’s system wasn’t a Hallie system. 

 

Hallie had felt suffocated within North Carolina’s confines, trying to keep an excited attitude about having leaderboards for everything the team did. She could feel her resolve crumbling when staff and faculty members alike would come up to her, slap her on the back and say how excited they were to have another Harris back in the program and how Hallie better not get into any of the shenanigans Ashlyn did as a kid. 

 

Hallie wasn’t  _ Hallie _ at the University of North Carolina. Hallie was Ashlyn junior and she hated it. 

 

Before Hallie could respond, Ali’s voice called to her from across the street, the defender waving and making her way to the Naeher home. 

 

Alyssa noticed her niece’s face drain of any and all color. She smiled and pulled the teenager close in a side hug before letting go. 

 

“Go tell Ali now Hal, she’ll help you. Remember that she loves you no matter where you go to school. Besides, she’ll calm Ash down with like, sex or something.” 

 

“Oh my God,” Hallie pushed up from the porch “that was gross. But thank you Aunt Lyss, really.”

 

“Anytime kiddo, now go” Alyssa commanded, pointing towards the Harris-Krieger home. 

 

Hallie nodded, starting a light jog towards her house.  _ Here goes nothing. _

 

“Hey Mom, can we talk for a bit?”


	19. Baby Blues and Skateboards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex says no and Tobin is trash for her daughter

“Mom pleaaaaase”

“No kiddo”

“But Mommy-”

“Kellan Abigail,” Alex pointed the whisk she was using to make pancakes at her kid “I said no so drop it.”

The five year old in dinosaur pajamas gave her mother her best glare before stomping out of the room. Kellan decided to head into the family room where her current favorite parent was sitting on a recliner watching Sports Center.

Kell scrambled up onto Tobin’s lap and heaved a deep sigh before sinking into her mother’s shoulder.

“What’s up munchkin?” the midfielder wrapper her arms around her daughter and nuzzled her nose into a wild bedhead.

“Mommy won’t let me skate before breakfast” Kellen grumbled.

“Well yeah kiddo,” Tobin motioned for her daughter to sit up so she could braid her hair, a skill A-Rod was adamant she learn before Kellan was born. “It’s also pouring down rain outside. You’re going to get sick”

The kindergartener stayed quiet while her mother quickly plaited her bangs into a small French braid and pulled the rest into a ponytail.

 It was Saturday morning and on Saturday mornings Kellan got to go outside and skateboard for a few minutes before her breakfast. Rain or shine but _apparently_ today was too rainy for Kell to go out by herself and her Mom wasn’t willing to stand outside and watch in the rain.

So that left Kellan with one option: her Mama.

“Mama,” Kell turned back around and gave Tobin her best sweet smile “Mama can we go skate in the rain?”

Tobin felt her heart drop and her resolve immediately begin to crumble. Those damn Morgan baby blues just wrecked Tobin. How could she say no to the sweet little girl who wore stegosaurus jammies and couldn’t pronounce her L’s.

But on the other hand, seeing the older version of the blue eyes sitting in front of her ignite with rage wasn’t something Tobin was willing to put up with.

But also, her child.

_Please God, help me out later._

“Kellan, go get your rain coat and your boots on and meet me by the back door in five minutes okay? Be super super quiet, like you are when sister is sleeping”

Seeing her little girl light up with excitement and scamper off to go get her gear on was absolutely worth the verbal beating she knew she was due in from Alex later. But Alex had to understand, it was skate day.


	20. Zola and his girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zola's nervous about watching the Tribe and Ashlyn is a horrible driver.

Zola Short was the go-to playmate for his soccer nephews. “The Dudes,” as the family called the oldest five 15er boys, were Zola’s buddies. From playing tackle football in the backyard, eating their hearts content of Kansas City barbeque and then falling asleep on the couch with a soccer game on was Z’s idea of a perfect day spent with his boys. 

 

Over time he had settled into his role of being the default adult on Dude duty, letting Chris, Dom or Dave hang out with the Tribe considering that they were actually dads of daughters. It’s not that Zola wasn’t absolutely in love with the group of four and five year old ladies, to be honest who wasn’t? No, Zola just related to the boys a little bit better. 

 

So it threw the man for a loop when Becky casually dropped the bomb that they’d be hosting five kindergarteners for part of the weekend while the National team played a friendly in Kansas City. 

 

“You watch the boys all the time,” Becky barely looked up at her husband from her book “and you do great with them. Besides, you’re only alone with them on Saturday while we play and then I’ll be back, they wanted to stay with their favorite Auntie Becks anyway.”

 

Zola scoffed, slipping his t-shirt off before getting into bed next to his wife. 

 

“Okay first of all, I’m the coolest out of all of the aunts and uncles. But the Dudes they’re simple. We play, we eat, we sleep and then boom, six hours have gone by and I send them home.” 

 

“Oh my God you baby, we almost died on a banana plantation and you’re afraid of five little girls” Broon laughed, tucking away her glasses and shutting off her light.

 

“I’m not afraid  _ Rebecca _ ,” Z insisted, turning off his own light “I’m just apprehensive.”

 

“You’re scared. It’s totally cool, just take the girls to the zoo, feed them chicken nuggets and then bring them to the game. I promise you, you have nothing to worry about.” 

 

Zola hummed in agreement, kissing Becky twice before falling into a deep sleep dreaming about playing princess tea party with his nieces. 

~

“Auntie Becks!” 

“Auntie Becky!”

“Auntie Broooooooon”

 

Five little girls came sprinting up the driveway as soon as they got unbuckled from their car seats. Becky bent her legs, bracing for the impact that inevitably came in the form of a flying Hallie Harris-Krieger. Followed quickly by Kellan, Kaitlan, Chloe and Vanessa all latching onto the limbs of the world’s greatest center back. 

 

“Oh my goodness it’s my favorite five year olds!” Becky set the girls down and gave each of them big kisses that sent the Tribe into a fit of giggles. 

 

Little Kaitlan Werry put her hands on her hips, blue eyes filled with indignance. “Auntie Becky, I am NOT five. I’m six.”

 

“Sorry KAO” Becky apologized to the first grader who forgave her favorite aunt by wrapping her arms around Broon’s legs. 

 

“Me an’ Nessa are five Aunt Becky!” Kellan grabbed Vanessa’s hands and the two girls began to bounce up and down. 

 

“I thought O’Hara was your favorite five year old” Hope teased from the car as she grabbed Chloe’s overnight bag. Kelley shot her wife a glare over her shoulder. Before she could speak Chloe tugged on Kelley’s hand, her freckled face scrunched in confusion.

 

“But Mama I’m four?”

 

“Sorry little squirrel,” Kelley scooped up her daughter and held her tightly “your mean old Mama forgot how old you are. But don’t worry, your cool mommy remembers”

 

Hope rolled her eyes and exchanged an amused look with her captain.

 

“I see you two haven’t changed,” Becky laughed “how was the drive over guys?”

 

Kelley, Hope, Tobin, Alex, Ali, Ashlyn, Syd and Heather all began talking over each other as they tried to explain their traveling adventures. Apparently, after they all met at the Kansas City airport and got the rental cars, they thought it was a good idea to let Ashlyn lead the way to drop their daughters off at the Short-Sauerbrunn home. During which they got lost about four times making their arrival time about an hour and a half later than expected. 

 

“I’m just glad we don’t have to report to the coaches until tomorrow. Otherwise we’d be in massive trouble thanks to Captain Directions over here” Alex teased her friend as they all walked into the house toting their daughter’s luggage. 

 

Ashlyn put her hands up in surrender and then pointed at Ali “Hey blame the co-pilot who typed in the wrong address on her phone”

 

“Are you seriously blaming me Miss-four-wrong-turns?” Ali raised an eyebrow, a universally known dangerous reaction from the feisty Krieger woman. 

 

“Alright ladies calm down.” Becky used her captain’s voice and smirked when she saw her teammates immediately back down. 

 

“Sorry Broon” the teammates quietly mumbled. 

 

Before Becky could say anything else, Hallie wiggled violently from where she had been perched in Broon’s arms. The women watched with curiosity as they saw the four year old sprint towards the back of the house, her tiny legs pumping as hard as they could go. 

 

“UNCLE ZEEEEEEEE” Hallie squealed, garnering the attention of her best friends. 

 

Zola had come inside from the back deck, covered in dirt where he had been landscaping the backyard. The man grinned and bent down to catch his youngest niece. 

 

“Hallie Blaire!” he laughed, catching the little girl. 

 

“UNCLE Z!” KAO and Kellan excitedly jumped around their uncle.

 

“UNCLE SHORTY” Chloe latched onto Zola’s back, earning a hearty groan at Chloe’s newest nickname for him. 

 

“UNCLE ZOLAAAAAA” Vanessa sang, happy to see one of her favorite people. 

 

“Kaitlan Breanne, Kellan Abigail, Vanessa Rhyan and Chloe Maureen? Wow the gang’s all here huh?” Zola had been told by Becky that the Tribe’s latest ‘thing’ was being called by their full names so he was sure to use that to his advantage.

 

Vanessa nodded vigorously “Yeah! We’re gonna have a sleepover!”

 

Z pretended to be shocked “WHAT? Here?!”

 

“Yes Uncle Shorty! With you and Auntie Becky!” Chloe giggled. 

 

“Oh man, I’m stuck with you guys?!” Zola rolled his eyes playfully. 

 

Zola walked towards the living room, carrying all five girls in his arms and on his back, where his wife and her teammates had gathered, the wine already being poured and laughter already reaching uncontrollable heights. 

 

Zola and his nieces stood just outside of the living room, out of sight from their mothers but within earshot. At a particularly large outburst of laughter, Zola felt Hallie tug on his shirt from her position as front-pack. 

 

“They’re too loud Uncle Shorty”

 

“They are aren’t they Hal?” Zola put the girls down, turning them to face him as he knelt to their level. 

 

“Ladies, can I take you on a date?”

 

It took thirty minutes for Becky and the Gals to realize their daughters were gone and an additional five minutes to see the handwritten note on the fridge. 

 

“Zola took the girls out for ice cream” Becky read, pride surfacing in her voice at the thought of her husband on his own little date with his nieces. 

 

Syd, Ali and Alex let out a collective laugh. 

 

“He knows they’re fucking insane after they’ve had sugar right?” Syd asked. 

 

Broon shrugged, pouring her teammates more wine and heading outside to the front deck. 

 

“ _ I know that _ and  _ you  _ know that but  _ Zola _ doesn’t know that and if I’m correct, we need to be at the hotel in two hours right?”

 

Hope raised her glass in silent praise of her captain. 

 

“Fucking devious Broon, I love it.” 

  
  
  
  



	21. A Very Tribe Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Mallory's first Christmas as a Press-Johnston where Christen and Julie wake up to a sweet surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sappy and we don't care. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays fam!

“Babe,” Julie whispered yelled from the second story of their Palos Verdes home “come look at this”

 

Christen, who had been downstairs setting up the last of the Christmas presents underneath the tree before everyone woke up, put one last bow on Vanessa’s gift before taking the oak steps two at a time to where Julie stood. 

 

It was Mallory’s first Christmas as a legal member of the Press-Johnston family. Julie and Christen had decided to make their toddler’s first holiday season a memorable one. So they invited their entire soccer family out to their home in California to spend it with them. Most of their teammates opted to rent homes in the surrounding area for Christmas and New Years and they would all meet at different houses for whatever activity planned, reserving the Press-Johnston home for Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

 

Julie was grinning from ear to ear, standing outside of the guest bedroom. Christen gave her wife a quizzical look before glancing down at her phone.

 

“It’s five-fifteen in the morning. Everyone is coming over at six, why are they awake?” The defender shrugged and leaned against the wall.

 

“I heard Mal escape from her room and wake up the girls about ten minutes ago. She was dragging her blanket, a book and that stupid stuffed peach Morgan bought her.”

 

“She does love her Auntie Moe-Moe”  the forward chuckled before pressing an ear to the door, hearing a muffled voice reading. 

 

“What are they doing?”

 

Julie’s eyes light up with childlike joy, reminding Christen of how in love she is with her wife. So in love that she can’t resist pulling Julie as close as she can by the pocket of Christen’s own Stanford sweatshirt. The couple kiss for a few moments, cherishing the faint crackling and popping of the fire downstairs accompanied by hushed little girl voices. 

 

“Whoa, okay, uh, wow” Julie tried to catch her breath, caught off guard by the kiss.

 

“Jules,” Christen rolled her eyes playfully “I kiss you all the time.”

 

The younger women returned her wife’s eye roll before plastering a goofy grin on her face.

 

“Yeah but Christmas kisses are more magical.”

 

“The girls JJ”

 

“Oh right,” Julie gently pushed the bedroom door open just so the two can get a decent view without disturbing the kids “look”

 

The string of white lights hanging around the room cast a warm glow over the king sized bed. The white duvet contrasting with the blue and gray flannel sheets folded over at the top of the headboard. Tucked in between the sheets, in their matching nordic print pajamas, the Tribe of Five were cuddled close together with Mallory laying on Hallie’s chest listening to KAO read. 

 

“ _ And every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing. They’d stand hand-in-hand. And the Whos would start singing!”  _

 

“‘Dey sing?” Mal asked, pulling her thumb out of her mouth just to speak.

 

Kaitlan nodded, suddenly feeling very wise for six years old. “Yeah they sing, just like we sing carols”

 

“We should totally sing one now” Vanessa bounced, her inner diva wanting to belt out some Jingle Bells. 

 

Kaitlan looked to Kellan and Hallie, both eagerly nodding their heads. Mallory was wiggling, her toddler hands squeezing her stuffed peach with excitement while Chloe was already humming the beginning of Sleigh Ride. 

 

“We gotta be quiet guys” Kaitlan warned, Hallie and Vanessa already joining Chloe in her humming. 

 

“Just hear thosssseeeee….” Kellan batted her eyelashes, giving Kaitlan her best puppy dog eyes. 

 

KAO rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. 

 

“JUST HEAR THOSE SLEIGH BELLS JINGLING RING-TING-TINGALING TOOOOOO” the girls scrambled out of the covers. 

 

“OUTSIDE THE SNOW IS FALLING AND FRIENDS ARE CALLING-”  the Tribe stopped and looked to their toddler cousin to finish the lyric 

 

“Yoo Hoo!” Mallory squealed, receiving hugs and kisses from the girls when she finished.

 

Kellan, Vanessa and KAO danced on the ground while Hallie and Chloe jumped on the bed with Mallory, who was trying her best to keep up with the big girls. 

 

“COME ON IT’S LOVELY WEATHER FOR A SLEIGH RIDE TOGETHER WITH YOUUUUUUUU”

 

Christen and Julie ,by this point, had become so enamored with the girls that they didn’t see or hear the front door open and close. 

 

“Hellooooooo? I need some baby peach lovin’ stat!” Morgan yelled from downstairs. 

 

“Yeah and I have some Chip and Dale loves to catch up on!” Kling followed, the door opening again behind her and the flood of soccer family members began to pour in. 

 

“Should we tell the girls Christmas is here?” Julie suggested, the din of their teammates talking over each other growing louder with each person who entered the Press-Johnston home. 

 

Christen took one last look at the girls, who had settled back down in their bed listen to Kaitlan read once again, and turned back to her wife with a misty look in her eye. 

 

“I think Christmas already came for them.”


End file.
